What if?
by acompletenerd
Summary: What if Loki won the battle of New York City? Forced to flee, what would become of the Avengers? What would become of NYC? How would the city recover? This fan fiction answers those questions through the story of a woman, Anya Marvel, who ends up being connected to just about everyone. [Rating T for cursing and heavier topics later. Please R&R.] Completed. Sequel coming.
1. Chapter 1: Unprepared

**A/N:** I own nothing but my OC characters and plot. Know that in this story, as shared in the summary, I am changing the ending to Avengers along with introducing a new main character. This story will jump back and work its way forward. So this first chapter is a bit of a teaser really. Also know that I have changed the location of Stark Tower. According to the movies it was by Grand Central and Empire State Building – two building that in reality are not near each other. Instead I put it around 56th St. between Columbus Circle and Times Square on the west side.

**Chapter 1: Unprepared**

There are some things that one can prepare for. There are some things one expects. A year ago the world changed when Iron Man appeared. It changed even more when Thor came. Science Fiction no longer belonged just in books or TV, rather it was real life.

Yet despite seeing a man build a suit of metal and flying in the sky, despite hearing about another man appearing from the stars with the strength of a god, nothing prepared the world for the events of that fateful day. The day Loki and his monsters appeared. The day the west side of Manhattan, from Times Square past Central Park, which is where Stark Towers is located, was destroyed. The world watched the damage occur through the lens of some brave reporter who kept the camera running.

Anya Marvel, Resource Coordinator for Helping Hands Charity, commonly called H², watched with her co-workers in horror as the events unfolded. Located in midtown Manhattan on 14th street they had heard a loud sound and felt the building shake. Running to her boss' office she and her co-workers gathered around the TV to see what was happening. Anya had to focus on breathing while her bright blue eyes were staring at the screen. Her world was gone as she watched aliens come from the sky, buildings explode, and people fall to the ground. Life seized to exist as she knew it. Pushing her long black hair out of her face, she wrapped her pale arms around herself as if she could hold herself together. Her brother, she was sure, was fighting up there. She then suddenly remembered that her boss was supposed to be in a meeting somewhere around there. Tearing her eyes away from the screen, she looked at her co-workers. Several of them lived not far from where this was happening. The devastation in her heart was reflected on their faces.

Swallowing the vomit threating to rise in her throat, she realized she was now in charge. She was now in charge of the Disaster Response Unit at the largest charity in the U.S. She was just a 25 year old girl who only moved a few years ago to this city. Sure she had been top of her class from Columbia, but it was, to her anyway, sheer dum luck that she had the job in the first place. Closing her eyes for a moment, she forced on pushing the self-doubt, fear, sorrow, anger and all other motions down deep inside of her. She only allowed the feeling of urgency to remain. Having calmed herself she spoke to her co-workers who were still fixated on the TV.

" Everyone, we have work to do."


	2. Chapter 2: What the hell!

A/N: So now that you know where I am headed with the story it is time to back track. The next few chapters are mainly character building. Not much action till later. Know that I am messing with Cannon a bit here. Iron Man 2 never took place in this AU. Pepper and Tony are not together, although she does have control of the company. Tony never had blood poisoning. I am just ignoring that part of the cannon and as a Fanfiction writer I can. Ha! Enjoy

**Chapter 2: What the hell?!**

**3 months prior **

Letting out a small yawn Anya Marvel, a recent graduate from Columbia University, stretched her arms out in front of her as she leaned back in her desk chair. Getting up, she moved away from her desk to look out the window that was in her shared office. Her co-worker, Marcus, continued working at his desk. He was use to her getting up and walking around every so often. After all, one can only look at a computer screen for so long. The view from the 11th floor of their building was wonderful. It faced south and being on the west side of Manhattan the window provided a clear view of the Freedom Tower and downtown NYC.

This was her new world and she was thankful for it. Having just graduated that year from Columbia, with a major in Social Work and Masters in Public Relations, she had more debt than she knew what to do about. It would take more than the next ten years of her life to pay it off. With that knowledge she looked hard for a job. She searched nationwide, but was fortunately able to find a job with Helping Hands. One of her favorite professors had an old student who worked with the organization. The student would often send her job postings with the organization. It was through her Anya now had the job in the Disaster Relief Unit, commonly referred to as the DRU.

Anya's department provided assistance in most emergency circumstances, from fires to heat waves to events like 9/11, which she prayed would not ever be repeated. Sighing she headed back to her desk. A building in the city had collapsed last week, sending the DRU workers once more into the field. She was now comprising a statistical report for her boss. Sure she liked statistics and she didn't mind computer work, but it was not her passion. She loved meeting other organizations, creating programs and then running them. That was why she applied for the Resource Coordinator position in the first place. She knew, however, that she only received the job because her professor's connection and her statistical abilities set her apart from other applicants.

She had been with the organization for almost a year now. She truly cared for her team members and was thankful for it's small size. The team comprised of only ten full time staff members. When any large scale disasters occurred they called in trained volunteers and/or hired seasonal workers. It is because of the size of the department that her boss let her go to meetings and fill various roles that were not a part of the job description. The other day she was able to go to a cocktail party hosted by the major's office. Later today, after lunch, she would be going to Stark Tower for a "fundraising" meeting or in other words they were trying to convince the self-proclaimed billionaire genius playboy philanthropist to donate to their organization. It was amazing they even landed the meeting in the first place.

Before Tony Stark became Iron Man, philanthropy was not a large part of the Stark Industry's work. Sure they had several grant funds, but nothing serious. The Stark family stopped donating money after Howard Stark's wife, Elizabeth, died. At least that is what her boss told her before they left. It was tidbits of information like that that reminded her how old he was. He has been in emergency work for almost 40 years. He, the CEO of H² and a few other executives and public relations higher ups would drive to the meeting. She was to take the subway. Not that she minded. It was a nice day and the tower was only three stops away on the express train. That and she hoped since it was still during office hours not many people would be on.

After exiting the subway but before entering the tower Anya paused and looked in a store window to check her reflection. When she finished straightening her black dress pants, silky green top and black blazer she headed towards the building. She didn't have many "nice" outfits. She was making just enough to share an apartment uptown with two other roommates and pay her bills. Most of her money went to rent and food. The outfit she was wearing was actually a gift from her parents. They lived in Iowa. As such she barely ever saw them, but when she did they always insisted on spoiling her with a shopping trip. Forcing herself to not fidget with her long gold necklaces, she entered the intimidating, ugly in her opinion, building; it looked like a tilted cone to her. The only good thing she figured there was about it was it was self-sustaining energy. Otherwise it was an eye sore, but then again Anya never cared for modern architecture.

Inside the glass doors everything from the décor to guards to workers screamed high class. All of a sudden Anya wished she had bought that $100 dress suit. She was clearly under-dressed. Hiding the self-consciousness she walked over to the attendance desk where a young man was smiling at her.

"How can I assist you miss?" he asked in an over friendly voice. So maybe she didn't look so bad, she thought to herself. Admiration is always a nice.

"I am here with Helping Hands for a meeting with Mr. Stark," she replied in a calm but professional tone.

"Name?"

"Anya Marvel."

"What a lovely name. Let me check our system," the young man replied. Giving a nod towards his computer he smiled up at her.

" I shall just need to see your photo ID miss and then you can proceed to the 14th floor conference room A."

Having expected her ID would be needed she pulled out her Iowa driver's license from a side pocket in her purse. Sure she had been in NYC for almost 6 years, but she had yet to get a city ID. While she was at school her student ID was sufficient. Now she worked from 8am to 5pm every weekday and the stupid DMV was only open 9am to 3pm on weekdays. She decided to just renew her driver's license the last time she was home and forgo the city ID. Stupid government offices having horrible hours, she never understood it.

The attendant seemed curious about her ID, but she quickly thanked him and walked towards the security gates. It was like most federal buildings, purse and cellphone on the conveyer belt and walk through the x-ray. Smiling and thanking the security guards she walked towards the elevators. As the elevator rang and Anya stepped in and tried to fight off the growing nervousness she felt. She checked her cell phone again for the time. Feeling re-assured that she was 15 minutes early she muted the phone and put it in her purse. It was then she realized music was playing lightly in the background. It was not "traditional elevator music" but rather AC/DC on low volume and without words. Smiling Anya stepped off the elevator and right into a female employee at the building. While apologizing she noticed a broom and dustpan in the worker's hand.

" No it is my fault miss. Are you alright?," the woman said. She seemed nervous in her tone as if she was sure Anya would have her fired.

"Please, do not worry," she tried to encourage the woman, "it was my fault for not looking ahead of me." Seeing the woman still looked nervous she continued, " Anyway, please excuse me I do not want to be late for my meeting. Also thank you for your work."

The woman went from scared to startled. " Pardon miss?"

" I said thank you for your work," Anya indicated her head towards the broom. " I have worked in blue-collar jobs before and I know it is not easy, but it is important." The woman seemed surprised. Sensing the need to exit, she smiled and nodded goodbye to the woman before walking down the hallway. She did this not knowing someone else had witnessed the exchange.

Exiting the elevators, which ran along one side of the building, Anya followed the signs to the conference room. Thankfully the way was clearly marked. Getting lost would do nothing for her nerves. After walking for a minute she came upon an open door and saw her boss and others inside. Everyone was seated at a round conference table that took up most of the room and they were chatting casually. Upon entering the room she noticed a small table by the door filled with water bottles. Despite being thirsty she ignored them. There was no way she was going to get up in the middle of this meeting to pee. Her boss already made it clear she was to be invisible. That was the deal with these functions. If she was quiet she could stay. It did make her feel like a 5 year old, but afterwards her boss would listen to her opinions and that made her feel valued at least. Seeing a few chairs lined against the far wall by the window, which took the entire wall, she took a seat in the corner. She then took out a notepad and pen and then waited for the meeting to start. Yeah she felt just like a toddler put in the corner of the room. She hoped she learned something and this wasn't a waste of time.

At 3pm exactly a petite strawberry blond woman and a beautiful red haired woman followed by a few men in suits walked in.

"Good afternoon everyone," the strawberry blond woman spoke. Her voice was a bit higher pitch than Anya expected, and it sounded both strong but kind. The woman continued after a jumble of "good afternoons" was said by Anya's co-workers. "My name is Pepper Potts, I am the CEO of Stark Industries. This is my assistant Natalia Rushman, Financial Adviser Grant Woodrum and Charitable Giving Coordinator Max Luis." Each person nodded in greeting as her/his name was called.

The CEO of H², a rather dour looking man, smiled and introduced everyone by name and title. She was not surprised when her name was not said. Ms. Potts and Ms. Rushman seemed to notice it. After a second pause Ms. Rushman spoke, " Pardon me miss," she said looking straight at Anya, "but could you introduce yourself." Slightly surprised Anya was glad when her boss quickly responded.

"That is Anya Marvel, the Resource Coordinator for our Disaster Relief Unit."

While Ms, Rushman and Ms. Potts looked satisfied with that answer the stuffy looking Charitable Giving Coordinator, Mr. Luis, had a wrinkle in his forehead and interjected.

"Pardon me for asking, but what is she here for?"

Feeling embarrassed and angry she was both glad and surprised to hear the CEO of H² speak. " ," he began, nodding towards her boss, "asked my permission to invite the young lady along for observation, which I gave. He is currently training her as a protégé for his work." Her boss nodded at that. Full of emotion Anya looked down at her blank notebook. This was the first she had heard about this. It was true her boss did spend a good deal of time explaining things to her and teaching her strategies with field. He had also been introducing her to various individuals who worked in all areas of the field and across the city. She just figured he had a teacher's heart. Deciding to think more of this latter she forced herself to pay attention.

"Well then," Ms. Potts started, "let us continue. Unfortunately, Mr. Stark is unable to join us today. I will be…" In the middle of her sentence everyone was distracted by the sound of a door opening and what do you know but in walked Tony Stark. He looked around the room and let his eyes pause for more than a few seconds on Anya. Walking around the room he sat in a chair next to Anya, who was suddenly praying she had put on enough deodorant this morning. What the hell was happening! Anya looked at the other and saw Ms. Potts face was forced into a tight smile.

" Ahh Tony, I am happy you could join us. Please have a seat at the table so we can begin."

Sighing the billionaire, who Anya noted amusingly, was wearing skinny jeans and an AC/DC shirt through which a blue light was seen, smirked at Ms. Potts before turning his head towards Anya. " I will if this lady will." Eyes widening at that statement Anya couldn't help but raise an eye brown with a questioning look on her face. Sensing that Ms. Potts was at her limit, Anya nodded, "Okay Mr. Stark."

"Tony," the man insisted. Not reacting to his request Anya simply grabbed her purse which sat beside her, kept her notebook and pen in hand, and went to sit in the empty seat next to her boss. After watching her for a second Tony went and took a seat next to Ms. Potts, a seat which Mr. Luis was sitting in, but he moved when Tony came up besides the chair and gave him a meaningful look.

Once everyone was seated Ms. Potts opened the meeting. Anya then spent the next hour trying to ignore the stare of Tony Stark. She was both confused and aggravated at his treatment of her. She decided to take back what she thought earlier. Admiration wasn't always nice. She knew he was a playboy, but she doubted she was his type after all she knew she couldn't hold a candle to Ms. Potts or Ms. Rushman. Besides what the hell did he know about her? Still he continued to stare as he had been doing since she entered the elevator.

A/N: I promise to update more soon. As I mentioned at the start action isn't until later. The sarcasm and connections will start to pick up in the next few chapters. I'd really appreciate reviews. I am trying to better my writing skills through this. Thanks and see you all soon!


	3. Chapter 3: Boredom

**A/N: I own nothing but my OCs and plot. Remember that in the movies the two main reasons for Tony's change of character is his near death experience and Pepper. I took Pepper out of the equation, well just a bit. So all that to say yes I am reversing his character development. **

**Chapter 3: Boredom **

********* A few hours earlier in Stark Tower******* **

Pepper Potts walked off the elevator into Tony's new garage, which was several floors underground. Tony at that moment was under a car with tools sprawled around him and AC/DC playing in the background. Since building his suit he had a new definition of fast and therefore was determined to make his cars as close as possible in speed. The moment, however, Pepper walked through the glass door that separated a small hallway and the elevator from the rest of the room the music cut off. As Tony pushed himself out from under the car starting to complain he froze at the look on her face. The woman may be small but she was a spit fire. Tony learned that quickly after she had become his assistant all those years ago. Now as CEO of his company she was all the more intimidating. Not that he would let her know of course.

"One simple thing Tony," she began with anger coloring her tone. " All you had to do was show up to a meeting. I didn't care if you dressed professionally, spoke or even smiled. I just asked you to show up." Slowly standing up he held up his hand in fake surrender.

" Was that this morning? I thought it was this afternoon?" He decided to play it dumb. Jarvis had actually reminded him about the meeting, but Tony ignored it to work on his suit.

"No Tony! This afternoon is the meeting with the Helping Hands charity. I didn't care if you showed up to that meeting as it is inconsequential. The meeting with the board of directors, however, is another matter!" Shrugging Tony walked over to his work station that was filled will tools and computer screens. Sitting down he put his feet up on the desk, " I thought that was why I made you CEO, so I didn't have to go to that stuff."

Glaring at him Pepper turned around and walked out the door. Chuckling at how cute she was when she was angry Tony started to work on some new designs at his desk.

A few hours later Tony stretched. He looked at the screen. It would take the rest of the day and night for the computer to run the sequence and calibrate what he needed. He was thankful he had Jarvis. Without his AI, the work would have taken all week. Looking around his workshop he thought of what to do. He needed a distraction. Since the incident with Obadiah he had, according to Pepper's insisting, stayed mostly out of sight. Quite honestly he hadn't really felt like going out and partying anyway. That was, however, almost a year and a half ago. He built Stark Tower during that time and worked on his suits. Now that all that was done his mind kept drifting and he felt discontent.

"Jarvis are there any events on the books tonight."

"What type of events sir?"

"Something fun."

"Based on your history and what you would define as fun, sir, there are not."

Leaning back in the chair he sighed, "I'm bored. I need a distraction J."

"So sorry to hear that."

"Cheeky AI, where is Pepper?" He figured bothering Pepper would at least take some time off his hands. He hadn't realized until a charity ball how beautiful she was. He didn't realize till Obadiah almost killed her that he actually cared. Yet, he knew it would never work. She made that clear not so long ago.

"She is in her office preparing for a meeting with the charity Helping Hands."

"Who?"

At that question Jarvis pulled up a few images and web pages on Tony's computers about the organization and gave a brief background. " So a bunch of old men asking for money," Tony summarized.

"Not necessarily sir."

That caught Tony's interest. " Explain J?"

"According to my records, sir, there will be two women in attendance and one is 25 years old." Jarvis said this as he pulled up a picture of the women. The picture of the older woman Tony ignored, but he happily looked at the younger woman's photo. Laying low had its disadvantages, especially in the bedroom department. Maybe… The picture said Anya Marvel. An odd name, Tony thought. The pale skinned girl had long black hair with a slight wave in it and it looked like dark purple highlights. She had beautiful large blue eyes with green and gold flakes in them. She was just the distraction Tony needed.

"She is in the building now sir," his ever helpful AI informed him.

"Pull up the feed Jarvis."

And so Tony watched her as she interacted with his employees. He saw the men's faces and figured they agreed with his assessment that she was quite beautiful. It wasn't a startling beauty like Pepper's new assistant, Natalia, or some of the models he had slept with had in the past, rather it seemed almost warm and gentle. He smiled at how she reassured the maid and he was, surprisingly, irritated when she sat in the corner of the conference room to be ignored.

Making up his mind he ran up to his room, changed his shirt and grabbed a blazer.

He arrived at the door in time to listen to the introductions from the hallway. He was disappointed not to hear her voice. He then decided to make a dramatic entrance. After all, who was Tony Stark without an audience? As soon as Pepper said he would not join them he entered. He could see how angry Pepper was. Angry at the fact he came to this meeting and not the other one. He smirked at her and sat down by the girl. She smelled of some sort of flower. He succeed in getting her to speak, but was surprised at when she didn't flirt with him.

When they moved to sit at the conference table he was sure to sit across the table. Tony stared at her the whole time. He was frustrated she didn't look at him. The end of the meeting was coming and Tony didn't want the girl to leave. After all, he never got to talk to her. Pepper started to conclude the meeting, " Well I feel we have enough information for now. We will .." and for the second time in that meeting he interrupted her. " Actually Pepper I do not feel like we know enough to decided either way about donating funds to this organization." Pepper, keeping it professional in front of her staff and the guests, kept a straight face. She knew he hadn't been paying attention in the meeting.

"What do you wish to know more about Tony?"

"Well the people of course." Pepper's face gave him a blank stare that could mean a thousand things for him. Regardless he continued, "you have explained the what, where and when to us – all things your organization does and what not, but that does not answer the who question. If your organization was a person who would she be? What would she be like? To answer that I need to know who you are as individuals and as a team together. After all you are the organization. I do not feel comfortable making a sizable donation to people I do not know or trust." He enjoyed their blank stares, although he had a feeling Pepper could tell where he was going with this and he would get yelled at later.

"Well Mr. Stark, feel free to ask me or my co-workers any questions and we would be happy to share about ourselves," the CEO of the company offered. Tony smirked, "That would take too long – getting to know each of you. " Clapping his hands together as if he had a sudden idea he said, "How about this. Your young protégé comes back here for a dinner meeting and will represent your company. After that I will decide if and how much my company will be donating to your fund." At that Pepper's face went deadpan. He would have to have Jarvis save that image. It seemed like he was able to mess with Pepper after all. Looking to the woman now in question, he found she was almost glaring at him. Her look told him she saw through his bull shit. Before she could respond the CEO agreed to his plan. Her face flashed with shock at her employers words, but after moment she carefully made her face into a smooth mask.

"Excellent," Tony responded, " Natalia will schedule a night and time." And with that he said goodbye and left the room. He rushed to get to the garage.

"Jarvis, initiate Lockdown- code Hiding."

"Very well sir, no one will be able to enter without your permission unless your life is in danger." He knew it was silly to hide from Pepper. He would eventually leave the room and she would yell at him. Oh well, he hoped it would be worth it.

"Good man Jarvis" And with that Tony went back to work on one of his cars.

****Back in the conference room****

She didn't know what to be more flabbergasted about - the fact that Tony Starks wanted to have dinner with her or the fact her organization sold her out for a donation. Probably the first one she decided. To her CEO she was just a random employee. He didn't know her past or anything about her for that matter. Still sitting she looked up and realized everyone but Ms. Rushmore and her had left the room.

"Oh, my apology Ms. Rushmore I was lost in thought," Anya said finding the red head watching her.

"What night would you like to schedule dinner for?" The woman wasted no time getting to business.

"Never" Anya murmured, she didn't want to do this, but if she didn't her organization would suffer and so would she. It was, after all, just a dinner. Nothing to worry over. Right?

"What was that?" Ms. Rushmore asked.

"Oh, nothing... just one second, let me pull out my phone to check my schedule." After looking at her "dumb phone", a phone with just standard calling and texting abilities, she asked after Tuesday.

"What time?"

"5:30 pm." Natalia looked up at her from her tablet. " Mr. Stark normally doesn't eat or go out until 9. I have never scheduled a dinner or evening event before that time."

Feeling aggravated and feisty she responded, "Well Mr. Stark will have to deal with it. He is the one who is forcing me to have dinner with him in the first place. I don't stay out that late and refuse to change that, especially as I will have work the next morning." A look of respect filled Ms. Rushmore's face.

"Very well Ms. Marvel. I have you scheduled for dinner at 5:30 pm this coming Tuesday.

A car will pick you up from your home address 15 minutes prior."

"No thank you Ms. Rushmore. I will be coming from work and the subway will be just fine for me."

"Okay. Have a nice evening Ms. Marvel." She wished Ms. Rushmore a good night as well. After sitting for a few more seconds, Anya looked out the window one last time before heading towards the elevator. She was dreading Tuesday.


	4. Chapter 4: Bond, James Bond

**A/N : I only own my OCs and plot. *tear* Have fun with this. Another character has joined. This chapter is shorter than normal because next chapter is long.**

** Chapter 4: Bond, James Bond**

Anya didn't bother going back to the office after the meeting. She sent a txt to her boss saying she would see him tomorrow. Thankfully he wasn't a stickler on work hours. Once back at her apartment, she quickly changed into her workout outfit- yoga pants and an old t-shirt- grabbed her hand wraps and a water bottle and left for the gym.

She all but ran to the gym, which was only a few blocks from her apartment. It was an old boxing gym that not many went to because it only had classic work out equipment. That was fine for Anya as it was cheaper and close to home. Once inside she made a straight line for the punching bag that was in the back. Thankfully no one was there. She stood by it while she stretched. Sure others might have wanted to use it, but at this moment she needed it.

She wished she had her Krav Maga, a martial arts self-defense class, that night. An opponent would take her mind off everything better than the lone punching bag. After wrapping up her hands she rotated through a series of punch-kick combinations: Forward kick, right punch, right knee; left elbow, right knee; right hook, left hook, head bud; right kick, left punch, right elbow. She wasn't sure how long she kept it up, but eventually she shank to the ground and leaned against a nearby wall. As she unwrapped her hands she noticed her knuckles were bleeding. Maybe it was a good thing there was no class today. She should have used her boxing gloves. Opps. She didn't doubt she also had new bruises on her body. Oh well, in her class bruises were badges of pride and everyone showed them off. It was odd but fun.

"Are you okay Ma'am?" Startled she looked up at the new voice. It was some random guy she never saw before. He looked like he was in the military, well that or a fitness buff. Man the guy had some muscles. The tight grey shirt didn't hurt his appearance any either. Her eyes eventually making it to his face and she saw clear blue eyes, golden blond hair, and a concerned face looking down at her. Anya was pretty sure she forgot to breathe for a moment. She normally didn't go for the blond boys, but damn saying the man was hot was an understatement.

"Ma'am? Your hands are bleeding. Would you like me to fetch someone?"

Blinking a few times she resurfaced to reality.

"No thank you. I will take care of it when I get home. Also please do not call me Ma'am . I am not old enough for that. Thank you Mr…"

"Rogers, Steve Rogers." Slowly standing up she, mostly out of habit, held out her hand. She was more than tempted to ask if he was sure he wasn't Bond, James Bond. Only good manners and the feeling this guy might not get it held her back.

"Anya Marvel. Nice to meet you Mr. Rogers."

Gently shaking her injured hand he replied.

"Same here Ms. Marvel." As soon as manners allowed her, she pulled her hand away. Gorgeous guy or not the she was never a fan of the whole touching thing. Giving him a small smile she gathered her stuff.

"Have a good day Mr. Rogers. I'll see you around."

"Same to you Ma'am." Shaking her head at the old fashion man's inability to stop saying Ma'am she walked away.

Steve Rogers watched the young woman walk away. He actually had been in the same room, waiting to use the bunching bag, for a while. He normally would have just left, seeing it was occupied, but he could not draw his eyes away from her. Part of it, he knew, was because she was attractive. The larger reason, however, was because the look she had on her face when working out. It was a facial expression he knew well because he had it often. She was fighting to forget, just as he did. He also noted that she was good. He almost pitied anyone who thought her an easy target. The picture of her fighting was in his mind, but it was swiftly replaced by the image of another woman. Thinking of Peggy brought up such sorrow and guilt that he quickly turned back to the punching bag. The young woman with bleeding knuckles was temporarily forgotten.

"Agent Romanoff report"

"Nothing out of usual, sir. Stark is just hitting on a girl a bit too young for him. Still I think she can handle herself."

"What makes you assume that?"

"Gut instinct."

"Do a background check and continue your assessment. I may need you on a different case in a few weeks."

"Roger, over and out."

After cracking her knuckles, the agent returned her focus on the computer screen. She had a background check to complete. To say she was thrilled she would be leaving this grown up toddler behind was an understatement. That hope fueled her work.

"Oh.." she said to herself, " this is interesting." She had a feeling SHIELD would be talking to Miss Anya Marvel very soon.

Anya suppressed the urge to bang her head repeatedly against the desk. She instead let her head drop to the desk and rest there. She had to look absolutely miserable for her co-worker/officemate Marcus to comment.

"That bad?"

"Ha! Yeah you could say that." Sitting back up she could see he was staring at her, waiting for her to continue.

" You try having a well-known playboy force you to have dinner with him under the ruse of a 'meeting'. Then having all your friends tell you how 'lucky' you were. Followed by your boss' bosses tell you not to screw this up because it was important and to do, and I quote 'whatever is necessary for the good of the company.' Selfish bastards."

Marcus, like everyone else in the department and probably the organization, knew about the meeting on Friday. Still he didn't miss a beat in responding, "Then quit."

She scoffed at the idea, "I can't, too much debt, and besides I actually like this job. Well I did like this job before now. Can you believe them? Oh, and I forgot to tell you. Tomorrow they are 'giving' me half a work day so I can have a makeover. I have to make a 'good impression' for the 'good of the agency.' I am a freaking sacrificial maiden to the god of Tony Stark."

"Sure about the maiden part?" he teased her.

Grabbing the stress ball on her desk she threw it hard at his head. Laughing he held up his hands in surrender, "just joking!"

Smiling for the first time that day Anya leaned back into her chair. The smile quickly faded, however, as she recalled the conversation with her roommates. They had been genuinely happy and jealous of her. They both opened up their wardrobes and forced her to try on all their dresses. Still thanks to them she didn't have to go buy a new dress for this. Ha! Like she had the time or money to bother with that. Truth be told she could have gone that weekend, rather than read and watch movies the whole time, which is what she did. Pushing it all aside, she opened up Pandora on her laptop and began finishing the statistic reports she had started Friday morning.

The next day at 1 pm Anya found herself in a salon chair. At least, Anya reasoned, she did get a free hair cut out of this. Living in a city where the price of a haircut was $60, a free one was very helpful. Having someone play with her hair felt so relaxing she was close to falling asleep; although that probably had more to do with her inability to sleep last night than anything. Sighing Anya sipped on her black coffee and tried to focus on the stylist's chattering. Sure a free makeover wasn't painful. Most people would find it enjoyable. So would Anya if the reason for it had been different. It was like taking a cake and dumping salt on top of it- originally good but now extremely distasteful.

While Anya Marvel found herself the center of beauty treatments, Tony Stark was 48 hours in a new project – making a hover board. He had the technology in his suit. The challenge was reducing it to fit a skateboard. He needed to find a way to make the arc reactor smaller and mass producible, after all Palladium was not an easy to get material. Thus he had spent the past few days trying to make a new battery - one that had the energy of the arch reactor, but simpler in design. If he could get this to work he planned on putting it in his cars. Pepper would be trilled because it would give the company a new product and push them ahead in clean energy. He would be happy because his cars would go faster. Pausing to drink some black coffee, he realized it was a good thing he could go days without sleeping.

Jarvis, being the ever helpful AI, reminded Tony thirty minutes ahead of time about his date and for once Tony didn't ignore the reminder. As he was getting ready he couldn't help but think back to Pepper's warnings about how bad of an idea this was. He was spending time with a stranger. Although in the past that was a frequent occurrence, after all being rich, handsome, a genius and, in his opinion, charming, women had always been willing to spend some alone time with him. It was actually quite amazing, if he reflected on it, that he was alive and without an STD. Although if that ever happened he was sure he could invent a cure for it. He just hoped he didn't have any children out there, but as no one had stepped forward he figured he was safe. Maybe he should invent a more fail proof contraceptive device. He had just stepped out of the shower when Jarvis announced Anya had arrived. He looked at the clock, of course he was late. When was he not late?

"Jarvis have someone show her to the roof."

"Yes sir"

"Is the meal all set?"

"Yes sir. Wine is on the table. Buvette is on schedule to deliver the food in thirty minutes."

"Good man. Tell whoever is showing her to the roof to wait there till I come."

"Yes sir."

He continued to get ready. Feeling a bit uneasy he realized, surprisingly, that he was nervous. Him, Tony Stark! Then it sunk in. The last time he actually tried to be charming and romance a woman it had not ended well. The last time was with Pepper and she rejected him. He reciprocated by getting drunk and woke up with a beautiful red head the next morning. Taking a deep breath he finished buttoning up his silk maroon shirt over which he threw his black blazer. Taking a final moment to look in the mirror, he nodded his head in self approval.

"Go get her you handsome man." He told himself and with that he went to meet his date.

**A/N: The date is next chapter. I'll make you all a promise. If 5 people leave reviews I will post it up this weekend. Otherwise you will have to wait till next week. **


	5. Chapter 5: Important Detail

**A/N: Thank you everyone who is following and reviewed! One person asked about Loki. Yeah, he won't be in for a while. Coulson is a main character and I don't have him in until chapter 10. Loki will probably be around 12. My biggest pet-peeve with writers is when they skip character and story development. The sweet stuff is sweeter when you savor it. So hang in there. I don't own anything of monetary value.  
**

**Chapter 5: Important Detail**

Anya hated herself for going through with this. Last night she had done what any normal girl would do. She googled the man she was going on a date with. It was hard to admit it was a date and not business meeting, but she figured that was how Mr. Stark was looking at it so she might as well face up to reality. What she found about Tony Stark was not comforting. She lost count of how many women he had slept with, the number of times he was arrested for public indecency, and how many stories were about him being drunk at a party. In her opinion he was one of the worst types of men: one who did whatever he wanted regardless of the consequences because he felt justified as he was smart and rich. That and, as much as she didn't want to admit it, handsome. She was sure those eyes and body must have gotten him out of a lot of trouble. The fact that he got away with so much made her angrier.

According to the ever accurate world wide web, his normal behavior had changed some in the past year and a half. He had been kidnapped, which she remembered hearing about on the news, came back as Iron Man, and now spent a good deal of time helping end conflicts around the world. He stopped his bomb making business and was focusing on clean energy. So basically it looked like he was turning around. He had, a few months ago, went out and got drunk with a few models, but other than that he was staying inside and away from the media.

Yet despite everything she read and the gut instinct telling her to run away, she found herself in front of Stark Tower at 5:30pm. She was wearing her roommate's lacy green dress that was a bit too short for her comfort. Her hair had been styled and make up expertly done. She admittedly took a picture of herself and put it on Facebook. She didn't dress up that often and never like this. So she figured she might as well take a picture.

This time when entering the building, Anya was overwhelmed by the lack of people. It seemed like Stark employees were like everyone else. When it hit 5pm everyone left. There was still a front desk attendant, security officer and behind the security was a familiar face – Ms. Rushmore.

Ms. Rushmore waved her through security and shook her hand. "Good Evening Ms. Marvel."

"Good evening Ms. Rushmore, thank you for meeting me."

"No problem, it is part of my job."

"What? Escorting Mr. Stark's date is part of your job? You must have an interesting job description."

Lightly laughing at Anya's accurate description of the situation she responded, "You have no idea." Leading her to the elevator, Ms. Rushmore hit the top floor - # 25.

"Where are we going?"

"To the roof. Mr. Stark had a table and lights set up there for tonight."

"Oh… well good thing I am not afraid of heights."

Chuckling softly Ms. Rushmore agreed. It was right then that a male British voice came out of nowhere.

"Natalia, Tony requests you stay with Ms. Marvel until he arrives. He is running late."

" Of course he is. Thank you Jarvis." Looking confused Anya gave Ms. Rushmore a questioning look.

"That was Jarvis, Mr. Stark's AI. He is wired throughout the building, but does not communicate on the work floors – that is the first floor through fifteenth- during business hours unless directed by Mr. Stark."

Anya nodded in understanding and acceptance. The idea of an AI house was odd but not new. Movies, although no reassuring ones, had been made on the idea in the past. That and the fact that Iron Man and Thor, who she read about in the paper a few months ago, even existed meant she was not surprised by an AI. She was more wrapped up on how a single man or rather how anyone would need 10 floors to themselves. Seriously who needed that much space?

Walking out onto the gravel roof Anya was happy she insisted on wearing flats that evening. She could not walk well in heels and she had enough to worry about without the fear of stepping wrong and twisting her ankle. Of course with her clumsiness and luck it might happen anyway. In the middle of the roof sat a table covered with a maroon table cloth with candles in the middle. Hundreds of candles surrounded the area providing more light. Although even without the candles Anya would have been able to see. It was only dusk and besides it was NYC after all. The buildings provided an ever constant backlight.

Still she had to admit the view was stunning. The Stark Tower was on the west side of Manhattan in between Columbus Circle and Times Square. The view of Central Park was stunning in the dusk light. She had to admit she was excited for it to get dark though, so that she could see Times Square in its full glory with all the LED lights. She was so engrossed by the view that she didn't notice Ms. Rushmore left and Mr. Stark arrived.

"Beautiful isn't it"

Anya jumped at the voice and turned to find Mr. Stark behind her. A little breathless she replied "Yes it is."

"Not nearly as beautiful as you."

Anya rolled her eyes at the remark. "And how many girls have you used that line on?"

"None who have ever called me on it." He admitted with a smirk. After gesturing towards the table they both moved to sit down. It was then Anya could see his outfit. Blazer, dress shirt, jeans, and dress shoes. Only he could pull that outfit. He seemed completely comfortable, in his element. She wondered how out of place she seemed to him. It ticked her off.

Pouring her a glass of red wine he told her, "Tell me about yourself."

Seriously you can't be more specific than that, she thought to herself.

"What would you like to know?"

"Hobbies?"

"Reading, watching movies, and Krav Maga."

"What was the last one?"

"Israeli military developed self-defense. It means hand combat. It is basically street fighting."

"You street fighting?"

"What?"

"It just seems unexpected."

"That is kind of the point."

"Okay."

"What about you?"

"What not about me?" She almost rolled her eyes again at that comment.

"Hobbies?"

"Cars, R&amp;D, and basically anything that is fast and dangerous."

"So you're a thrill seeker"

"Basically."

"huh"

It was at that moment someone came up to deliver the food. Grateful for the distraction Anya took a large sip of wine. Of course it was amazing. The food looked like it came from somewhere she would never be able to afford. It tasted like it too. Rather than enjoying it, it pissed her off.

They talked for a bit longer on hobbies- covering cars and movies. She mainly let Mr. Stark talk. If he asked her a question she answered it as briefly as possible. As the evening wore on she was unable to hide her aggravation. She blamed the wine.

"You seem… upset."

Unable to pretend any longer she answered, "I am." His face told her he was confused as to why. The fact the man didn't get it infuriated her.

"I know this may be hard to understand Mr. Stark – " he interrupted her, "Tony."

"Fine - Tony. The thing is, I didn't want to come here tonight."

"Really?"

"Yes, really." Taking a deep breath she tried to calm herself before continuing, " Can you try to understand the position you put me in? First off, I would never go on a date with a stranger, which is what you are to me. Secondly, you singled me out in front of the heads of my organizations. So that now if you do not agree to fund us my job is on the line. A job I genuinely have enjoyed except for now. Then even if you do fund us I will still probably have to leave the company because I will forever be known as the one that 'Tony Starks personally asked for.' The amount of rumors and catty gossip have been and will be almost unbearable."

He seemed a bit taken back by her answer. As if that all never occurred to him.

"You don't seem to be the type of girl who cares about gossip."

"Normally I'm not, but when people say that I sold myself for money, which is what they will think, I am not okay with it. Honor may not mean much to everyone today, but it does to me." And with that Anya grabbed her handbag, which she had hung on the back of her chair, and made her way for the elevator.

Tony stared after Anya as she left. She was right. Not that he would admit it. He never considered that this dinner would cause her any problems. It certainly didn't go as planned. He had hoped she would leave the next morning not before the meal was even finished. Almost all the women he met came to him willingly. It stung to have her walk away. Trying to shrug it off he went inside and changed before going down to his garage. He tried concentrating on his hover board project but he kept getting distracted.

"Who was that girl?" he asked out loud in a rhetorical sense.

"Her name was Anya Marvel, sir. You really ought to know who you have dinner with."

"I know her name Jarvis it was a rhetorical question."

"Very well sir."

"Still - Jarvis what information do we have on her?"

"She is 25 and graduated at the top 3% of her class in Columbia University with a degree in Social Work and Masters in Public Relations. As you already know, sir, she works as Resource Coordinator at Helping Hands Charity. Her parents, Lydia and Jim Marvel adopted her at birth –"

Tony interrupted the AI, "That is enough information Jarvis."

"Actually sir you may want to hear what I was going to say next."

"What is it?"

"According to my records, her birth father is unknown but her mother was Maria Stark."

**A/N: mwahhhhhh Did you enjoy the twist? Guess what it's not the only one. Her father is after all unknown - well to you guys. I know who he is. He will come up later. If you guess I may tell you. The more reviews the faster I update. The next chapter is title Confrontation. **


	6. Chapter 6: Confrontation

**A/N: I feel like I am spoiling you guys to much updating so soon. Oh, well, I can't help it I'm pumped to share my story. SO yes I know I am horrible. Yes she is his half sister and yes he wanted to sleep with her. You need to remember that Tony, before Pepper, would sleep with girl who was hot and he didn't know they were related. I mainly did that because I thought it was a fun/different than normal way to introduce their connection; also I like messing with you people. But seriously the worse thing that happened was he hit on her. Nothing else happened. So stop freaking. Also don't own anything but the story and OCs. Enjoy.  
**

**Chapter 6: Confrontation **

By the time Anya got back to her apartment it was only 7pm. Thankful it was early, she did what she always did when she was stressed – she went to the gym. Going to the back of the gym she was happy to discover the punching bag was unoccupied as was most of the gym; seemed like 7pm on a Tuesday night was not a popular work out time.

She found the more she hit the bag the angrier she felt.

"Selfish rich bastard… not thinking of others… where is the decency!?" And with those last words Anya could no longer stop the tears falling down her face. Knowing it would be stupid to continue she walked away from the bag and sat down on a bench in the room. She felt stupid for crying but it always happened when she got that angry. Anger and sorrow seemed to mix for her.

Seeing something white enter her field of vision she jumped. There was Steve Rogers offering her a towel. Of course the gorgeous man had to see her cry. Her make-up, which she forgot to take off, was probably running and her face swollen. It was a wonderful time to be seen by an attractive man.

"Ma'am" he said offering the towel.

Giving him a weak smile she took the towel. " Thank you Mr. Rogers, and I thought I asked you not to call me Ma'am"

"Only if you call me Steve."

"Okay, but only if you call me Anya."

Sitting on the bench next to her he waited for her to wipe away the tears on the towel before starting. "Would you like to talk about it?"

"Do you really feel like listening?"

He shrugged, " I have nowhere else to be and will listen if you like."

"How does a guy as attractive as you have nowhere to be on a Tuesday night or a Friday night for that matter?"

He blushed at her question. "It's kind of complicated. Besides I asked first."

Smiling lightly at the towel she paused for a moment before speaking.

"My organization was trying to get money from another company. I went to the meeting to observe. The boss of the other company, an extremely rich guy, said he would only give us the assistance if I had dinner with him. My work forced me to go."

She could see his hands form fists and tighten during her story.

"Did he…"

"Take advantage? Not in the way you mean. I left rather quickly. He asked me why I was angry. In turn I asked him if he understood the position he put me in. He didn't."

"What will happen?"

"Well that is the messed up part. If he doesn't give my organization the money I'll probably be fired. They actually told me to do 'anything necessary' to get the money. If he does fund the company, I will probably have to quit because everyone will think I am the whore who slept with the rich man for money." She didn't realize until after she stopped speaking that tears were once more falling down her face. "… I know I shouldn't let what other people say bother me… but…"

"but it still hurts," Steve finished for her.

"Yes"

Thankful to have someone listen who understood Anya simply let the tears fall and they sat in a comfortable silence for a while. Once she stopped crying she thanked him for listening.

"You're welcome." He replied and continued, " I am truly sorry though for what you have and are going through. If I can help in any way-"

"-you already have helped, but I will let you know."

Grabbing her water bottle and bag she handed back the towel and she started to walk towards the exit. Pausing after a few feet she turned back.

"I'll see you around Steve."

"See you around"

Walking home Anya felt immensely better. Nothing like beating the shit out of a punching bag, crying, and having a kind and beautiful man listen to you. Ice cream and an adventure/action movie was next on the agenda. Sure it would make her tired for work tomorrow, but she doubted even if she got a full 8 hrs sleep she would be that productive.

She was about to unlock the apartment building entrance when she heard a thunk behind her. Quickly turning around she saw Iron Man land in the middle of the street and start walking towards her. Suddenly she wished Steve from the gym was with her. Although she doubted he could have fought off Iron Man. What was he doing here!

When he was a few feet away the front part of his mask lifted up to reveal a livid Tony Stark.

"..Mr. Stark.." sort of fell out of her mouth awkwardly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" the question came out almost calm but his face showed the rage behind the question.

Backed up so her back was against the door, to put space in between them, she asked, "What are you talking about?"

Stepping forward his hand hit the frame next to her head hard causing it to crack. Fear filled her body. "How could you not tell me?!" he yelled in her face. With that she tried to run around him. It was a rather pointless attempt she had to admit. After all, he could fly. And that is what he did. She took a few steps and then suddenly found herself in the air. So of course she did what any sane person would do – scream.

Within a minute they were back at the Tower. He landed them on the outstretched balcony. The moment he let go she ran inside, hoping to get to the stairs or elevator before he stopped her.

"Stop running" she heard a voice behind her demand. Turning back she saw his suit be taken off as he walked along, leaving him in his jeans and tight black shirt.

"It's not like you can get away anyhow. Besides I'm not going to hurt you."

"Not going to hurt me?! What do you call scaring me in the middle of night, breaking the door frame of my apartment, and forcefully taking me back to your home and keeping me here?! How has that not hurt me?!"

"I just want some answers damn it!"

"About what?!"

"Why did you not tell me?!"

"Tell you what? You keep saying that and it doesn't mean a damn thing to me!"

"That you're my sister!"

Shock is probably the best way to describe what Anya was feeling at the moment. Stumbling forward she went and sat on the couch that was closer to the window. Looking at her face suddenly Tony understood.

"You didn't know? Did you never wonder about your birth parents?" Silence ensued.

Forcing words out Anya answered, " I can't be your sister. My parents are Jim and Lydia Marvel in Iowa…. I have my mom's hair color and my dad's eye color."

"No, you have my – our- mom's hair color, and facial structure actually when I look at you. "

"Do you have a phone?"

"No just say the number and Jarvis will call it."

"1-236-7833" After a few rings an older male with a Midwestern accent answered the phone.

"Hello"

"Hi dad"

"Hey sugar. It's good to hear from you. How did your date go?"

"um not well… hey dad I have to ask you something."

"Okay, shoot."

"…am… I… are you… are you my biological father?"

"…."

"Daddy?"

"… I'm so sorry sweetheart, but I am not." Pain filled Anya's heart.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"We just didn't know how and since you looked like us it never came up."

"It never came up? I'm 25 years old. You should have told me!"

"I'm sorry honey-"

"- I have to go."

"I love you."

"… I know… I love you too." And with the phone call ended.

Anya could hear Tony shuffling and the clank of ice and glasses in the background. Within a few minutes he handed her a short cold glass.

"What is it?" she managed to choke out.

"Whisky"

"Good choice," and with that she took a large gulp. The burn felt good in the back of her throat. She was trying not to cry. She had already cried that day and there was no way in hell she was going to cry in front of Tony Stark the man who was apparently her brother.

"How did you know?" She asked him after he sat down on the couch next to her.

"Jarvis," he paused before continuing, "I was frustrated that you left and how the evening went. So I asked Jarvis to dig up information on you."

Giving him a weak smirk, she said "stalker."

"uhhhh…"

"Well… I guess it's a good thing the evening didn't go as you planned."

He groaned at that comment, "Oh my god don't remind me. When Jarvis told me I hit my head on the wall a few times. To think that I wanted to and could have…. with my sister….I may need therapy."

"I think you needed it before this Tony."

"Ha, maybe. By the way are you always like this or is this the whisky talking."

"You mean am I always stubborn and sarcastic?"

He nodded.

"Yes, although I limit it in business settings. Something you seem to need to learn how to do I might add."

"Nah that would be boring."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Then curiosity and a need to know filled her.

"Tony"

"Yes sugar?"

"Don't call me sugar."

"Your dad did."

"Don't give a damn. It doesn't mean you can."

"Fine, what is it you wanted to ask me?"

"What was our mother like?" Anya didn't ask the question as 'what _is_ our mother like' because she knew she was already passed. That is the thing about living in a digital age and being well known. Tony Stark's life was/is broadcasted for everyone. She knew he was an orphan at 21. Now she found out that apparently she was one as well at age 10. She just didn't know it then.

After taking another gulp of his drink, which he then set down on the table, he stood up and offered her his hand. Taking it Anya followed Tony into the elevator. Hitting the # 22, they went up a few floors. Exiting the elevator Anya found herself in what appeared to be an enormous home entertainment area. Tony told her to go ahead and sit down in front of the wall sized screen. He then disappeared into a small room on the opposite side of the room and came out with a spool of film. He walked up to the massive TV and opened up a wall panel wedged in the corner. It seemed to have everything from DVD to VHS slots, and even an area to put in film.

She had to comment. "I'm surprised. Shouldn't the son of technology have everything digital by now?"

"Shut up brat. I could but never felt like bothering to do that yet. Only new movies and my favorite classics are digital."

"Okay," Anya decided to let the subject drop. It was only a moment later that the film started to play. It looked like a news reel. There was some sort of event going on, various people walking by dressed nicely and lots of photos flashing.

"That," Tony said pointing to a petite woman with black hair and green eyes, "is our mother." She had a string of white pearls on, bright red lipstick and looked completely at ease in the spot light. There was something strong in her that was evident just by looking at her. Then again maybe it was an act. Anya didn't and wouldn't ever know. The woman, her mother apparently, was holding on to the arm of who Anya could only assume was Howard Stark. His black hair had grey in it. His mustache was neatly trimmed and brown eyes serious. Glancing over at Tony she realized he looked very similar- same hair, minus the gray, and same eyes. Although Tony didn't look as hard as this man did. Turning her eyes back to the screen she realized the woman was talking, but they heard no sound.

"Is there no sound?"

"No this was a silent film."

Disappointment rushed over Anya. She would never hear her mother's voice. "I don't even know her name."

"Her name was Maria. She was…I guess I would describe her as dedicated."

"To?"

"Ironically enough, my father. She tried to hide his drinking problem from me. She would defend him in any argument. She supported his work. Other than that I don't know a thing about her..." Anya stared at him, obviously waiting for him to continue and say more. "…I didn't really know my parents. They sent me to a boarding school at the age of ten. I only saw them on breaks and even then I didn't see them much."

Empathy for this man who as apparently her brother filled her after listening to his story. The drinking, partying and everything made sense now. It didn't excuse him by any means, but it was easier to understand.

"Tony… you said our mother, but not our parents."

"… yeah that is why I said her devotion to my father was ironic. You are my half-sister."

That was a lot to process. She was apparently the child of an affair. For some reason it made her feel bad…like she was a home wrecker. It was an illogical thought. After all, she didn't ask to be born. Nor was it her fault the woman had an affair. She was simply one of the results. "… Do you know who my father is?"

"No…I'm sorry I have no clue. Jarvis didn't know, meaning there are no legal records of him listed in connection with your name."

"Oh" So now not only was her mother dead, but she had no father. Isn't life peachy.

"I will help you find him, if you like."

Anya looked away from the screen, which was still playing showing other people, and at Tony.

"… I'm not sure…let me think about it…Thank you for offering though."

"No problem, just let me know… also….I… I shouldn't have treated you like I did before."

Astonishment filled her. He did not seem like the type of man who apologized often if at all. " Is that an apology?"

At that moment Tony Stark looked like something was stuck in his throat causing him agony. Anya couldn't help but laugh. At which point he glared at her.

"Sorry for laughing. I accept your apology… after all a girl has to forgive her… brother." She sort of swallowed the last word. That caused Tony to smile. Saying he was related to her out loud gave her a strange feeling. Tony Stark is her half-brother. What the hell.

"I have to say, you are accepting this rather well."

"Oh well, that is probably the whiskey at work," she joked.

Laughing he reached his hand out and ruffled her hair. Smiling she pushed his hand away, " Hey no touchie" she said and swatted at his head, which he easily dodged.

"Okay, okay. No touchie."

Suddenly it was too much to take in at once – the adoption, having a brother, having a brother who is a super hero and genius and billionaire. Yeah it was definitely too much.

"Tony I need to go home now," she quietly but firmly told him. He seemed to withdraw a bit at those words. For some reason she didn't want to leave him looking like that. Natural sister instincts? Probably more like natural sucker instincts. "It's just been a long day and a lot to process. Not to mention I have work tomorrow. "

"No of course. Jarvis unlock the elevator and have Happy pull the car around front."

"Yes sir."

"You don't have to do –"

"- yes I do."

"Thank you." Setting down the whiskey glass on a side table she walked towards the elevator with Tony in tow. She turned to Tony and said goodnight. About to get on the elevator she was stopped by Tony's rather nervous sounding voice.

"Will you – or rather can I call you? I mean I would like to get to know you." He seemed embarrassed saying those words. Maybe having a sister was what Tony Stark needed in his life. She knew having a brother could be a welcome change.

"Yes. I'm from the Midwest Tony, family is important to me. Although…."

"What?"

"…I don't want to hurt your feelings, but can we not tell anyone yet. I want to process through all this before I have to deal with the media pounding on my door."

"That is fine. We need to figure this-" he said gesturing between them, "-out first anyway."

"Thanks for understanding… well goodnight again."

"See ya." And with that the elevator doors closed. That night lying in bed Anya had to admit that was the strangest day ever.

**A/N : So fun fact the number she called spells adopted. Comic book followers, I know in the books Stark is sent to boarding school at age 8, but I made it 10 because that is when she was born. Also one reviewer asked about Loki flashbacks (btw if you log in I can just PM), I'm sorry but that doesn't fit into my story. I am trying my hardest to get him in by chapter 12 ( I have 10 written). Then after that you will have so much Loki (and the other avengers) you won't be able to handle it. Plus at the rate I am posting that will happen quickly. Anyway, review please.  
**


	7. Chapter 7: 247

**A/N: Thank you for those who are following. I own nothing but my OCs and plot. Enjoy. **

** Chapter 8: 24/7 **

It was odd, Tony reflected after Anya left, he had hoped for a relationship – mind you he wanted one very brief and completely romantic relationship- to come from his date. A relationship – 100% different from what he wanted – was exactly what had come from it. Life never works out how you plan. The metal in his chest was a complete reminder of that. This was an another example.

"Jarvis," he called after he saw the elevator door close, "start searching for Anya's father."

"Sir, didn't she say she wasn't sure she wanted to know?"

"She might of but I want to know. Also don't talk back Jarvis."

"yes sir."

He had a sister…. a younger sister. When he was younger he hoped for a sibling. Then as he got older he still wondered if he might have one; his father wasn't the most faithful man and Tony, despite his mother's efforts, knew that. So he wouldn't have been surprised if another mini-Howard showed up, but that fact that there was a mini-Maria. That was something. Bewilderment filled Tony. He wasn't sure how to take the news. He really had a sister. He had a family. It would be odd having someone to think about besides himself. Odd to have someone permanently linked to him. He wasn't sure he liked the responsibility, but he did like the connection.

The next morning, after exercising in the gym, Tony went to his kitchen/dining room floor. Grabbing a cup of black coffee that was waiting for him, thanks to Jarvis, he was about to go back to his floor for a shower when he was stopped by a rather serious looking Pepper and Natalia getting of the elevator. Taking a long gulp of the wonderful black liquid he wished this conversation would be postponed to well never. However, he knew it was inevitable so he simply topped off his cup and sat down at the island in the kitchen.

"Tony"

"Pepper"

He was started to offer her coffee when she briskly asked, "Is she still here?"

Acting coy he asked, "Whom are you referring to. Obviously Natalia is still here. She is right behind you."

"Tony"

" You know you could simply ask Jarvis." And not bother me in the morning, was what he thought to himself. It was actually odd him even being up before noon.

"Fine. Jarvis is Ms. Marvel still in the building?"

"No ma'am, she left last night around 11pm."

"Thank you Jarvis" and with that she let out a sigh. "Tony-" by the way she said his name he knew he was in for another lecture, "-I need you to understand the damage you caused." Yep it was definitely a lecture. "You put that girl and me in a rather delicate situation. If we make a donation to that organization it will seem like we simply bought you a date. If we do not, however, it will reflect poorly on us and that girl."

"Pepper," he said cutting her off before she could continue, "you were going to fund the organization before I did what I did, right?"

"Yes, but- "

"No buts. If you were going to fund them then fund them. The organization has a solid history, good reputation and great future designs. They are a worthy organization. So fund them."

"Tony-"

"- no I get it Pepper, I do."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Okay, just leave business associates out of your romantic life in the future."

"I shall try." Rolling her eyes at him they started walking back to the elevator.

"Oh and Natalia"

"yes sir"

"Inform security that if Ms. Marvel ever stops by she is allowed entrance to the building at any time. Jarvis already knows to inform me if she is here. If I am not you are to let her wait up here for my return."

Natalia nodded while Pepper stared in both confusion and astonishment.

"Tony – what is your relationship with her?"

"Pepper I just met her. Do I have to have a status right now?" With that he walked to the stairwell and walked up five flights to his rooms. It would, he figured, be a whole lot easier to tell Pepper she was his sister, but he had promised not to tell yet. Besides it was fun messing with Pepper.

***** Outside the Tower****

Stepping outside the tower, under the ruse of a personal errand, Natasha pulled out an ear piece from her pocket and put it on.

"Command, this is Black Widow, come in."

"Agent Romanoff report."

"Sir, Tony Stark seems to know part if not all of the background of Anya Marvel."

" Evidence?"

"He gave her 24/7 access to the Tower."

"Find out how much he knows and report back. We have a tail on Marvel. A meeting will be required soon."

"Let me know when."

"No it will not be you. You are to keep your cover until told otherwise."

"Fine. Who is her tail?"

"Who do you think? Focus on the task at hand Romanoff."

"Yes sir, over and out."

Natasha put away the ear piece. She had enough time to return to her apartment and grab a bug (listening/recording device) before going back to the office. Hopefully the sooner she got the information the faster she would be able to leave. Sure under cover ops were her specialty, but she preferred those with more action than this. No bombs going off. No gun fire. Also no partner. It was boring and aggravating.

**A/N: So I know this is a shorter chapter. The next chapter is called Roundhouse Kick and may be one of my favorites so far, but that may be because I like writing Steve. Also Clint shows up. By the way chapter 12, which I am currently writing, is when Avengers come in and we go full circle. I half way say that to bribe you because recall more reviews = faster posting = Loki and Avengers come in sooner. **


	8. Chapter 8: Roundhouse Kick

**A/N: Thank you Yasmin for reviewing! And yes, Pepper may be feeling a bit jealous. Sorry Pepperoni fans, but there is not much in this story for you. Maybe later on. Trigger warning in the chapter Stalking is discussed and assault is alluded to. I own nothing but my plot and OCs.**

**Chapter 8: Roundhouse kick.**

Anya slumped onto her couch in relief. The horrible week was done. She couldn't recall having gone through a more emotionally stringent time in her life. It all kept flashing in her mind, her memory forcing her to re-live it; as if remembering it would help her process. Maybe it would one day, but right now she just wanted to collapse. If a date with a legendary billionaire wasn't bad enough, finding out she was adopted and related to said man, then having everyone think he – the man who is her brother- slept with her. It was almost too much. The stares at work and whispers on Wednesday had been horrible. Only her teammates - those in the Emergency Relief Unit department- asked her directly what had happened. Everyone else just gossiped and assumed. The only blessing was that the media somehow failed to catch wind of this.

Besides work, her parents –adoptive parents- kept calling her and leaving messages. She finally answered the phone last night just to get them to stop calling. She reassured them that she still loved them, and yes they were her family, but she needed time and space. Did they not get that they lied to her for 25 years of her life? It was going to take some time, and possibly counseling to get over that. She also had to deal with Tony texting her. At least he had the sense not to call. All the texts though were over stupid little things like how Pepper turned off his music once or how he was almost finished on a project. It was slightly annoying, but in an odd way, kind of cute. She realized he was just trying to share his life with his new sister. He obviously had never been close to anyone, other than Pepper, before; that was a relationship, Pepper &amp; Tony, that Anya was determined, to figure out.

So on top of the stress from family life and work she now felt like someone was watching her. Man she was getting paranoid. Her phone vibrated again. Looking down she saw the all too familiar name.

"Speak of the devil," she murmured to the text she read it twice just to make sure she wasn't losing it_: Do you want to come over Saturday and meet the family? _

What drugs was this man on? He had no family. Maybe he meant Pepper. But then again from the little she knew about Tony she wouldn't put it past him to mean some sort of machine. Trying not to think about it, she texted back: _Sure. What time?_

The reply was almost instant: _1pm? We can grab lunch._

Lunch with Tony Stark, hopefully not in public: _ Okay. See you then. _

Dropping her phone on the coffee table she fell onto her side and curled up on the couch. She had a decision to make. Stay there and fall asleep. Go to her room and fall asleep. Turn on the TV and fall asleep in a bit. Or go to the gym, which she should do. The stress and work and the paranoia from the past few days caused her to go straight to bed after getting home. She knew she should get up, but she was so comfy. No, she would get up. She tried to remind herself of the wonderful endorphins she would get from working out. Endorphins make you happy and happy people don't go around killing other people. With a large groan she forced herself up. At least there was a small chance the beautiful man – Steve- would be at the gym. He was last week.

Walking to the gym, Anya started to get that creepy feeling down her spine again; the feeling that someone was following her. She first felt this way Wednesday afternoon. She left her work building to get lunch at small Mexican dinner when she felt like someone was watching her. She decided it was probably the media, since she had the date with Tony, but nothing came out in the news. The next morning walking to the subway she felt it again. Then last night she felt like someone was watching her in her apartment. Feeling nervous she decided to jog to the gym. There were a few people inside, making her feel safer.

After lifting weights and using the cross trainer machine for aerobics, she went back to the punching bag. She had already worked out enough today and would feel it tomorrow, but she still wanted at least a few rounds with the hanging sack of sand. She was few rounds in when she felt someone staring at her from behind. Acting on instinct, she quickly turned and used the momentum for a left side round house kick. She heard a sharp intake of breath signifying pain, but did not focus on who it was for her training had kicked in and she followed up with a right punch to the jaw.

*********Steve Focused (SF- A/N: I realized just a bit ago that the breaks I put into my chapters using stars were not showing up unless text was in the line. So if the character focus seemed to shift sharply my apologizes. The stupid stars didn't show up. Also I am not using POV because this is whole story is written in third person. So I am going to use the term 'focus' – now to continue) ******

Steve Rogers almost didn't go to the gym that night. He had wandered around town most of the day, avoiding Brooklyn, and felt exhausted. Still the memories of his former life continued to haunt him and propelled him towards the gym; however, if Steve was being honest it wasn't just his distant past calling him to the gym but recent history. He wanted to see the girl with the bleeding knuckles again. When he arrived she was at her usual place by the punching bags. She had obviously been at it for a while because she looked ready to pass out. Deciding to interfere, just to get her to stop, he walked towards her, but stopped a few feet short.

To say he was surprised, when she landed a left round house kick on his right shin, just below the knee, would be an understatement. A young girl got the drop on Captain America. He hoped no one would ever find out. Thankfully, for both of them, he did see her right punch coming to his jaw. Using 200% defense – bending back and using his left hand to deflect the punch- he was able to avoid getting hit. As soon as his hand hit her arm she seemed to realize what had happened.

"Oh my god! Steve! I am so sorry! Are you okay?!"

He had to chuckle at her words. "Yeah I am fine. It was my fault. I shouldn't have snuck up on you."

"No! It's me I've just been jumpy. Are you sure you are okay? That kick should have dropped you."

"No, I promise I am fine." Of course the serum in his blood made her kick only a nuisance, but that wasn't a conversation they would be having anytime soon if ever.

Obviously feeling relieved, she joked "I must be losing my touch. Time to up the leg presses." Actually she wasn't. If he had been a normal man, he would be on his side right now. She was good, which he remembered noting when he first saw her fight. He liked hearing her laugh though.

As she grabbed her water bottle for a drink he couldn't help but bring up what she just mentioned, "So if you don't mind me asking, why are you feeling jumpy?" Apparently that was the wrong question to ask. Her face dropped and she walked over the bench. Damn, he obviously should have observed Bucky with ladies more. He always seemed to say the wrong thing.

Sitting on the same bench, he started to apologize, "I'm sorry. You don't have to answer that-"

"-No it's okay." She interrupted him. He waited for her to talk. She seemed to be studying her water bottle intently.

"I… for the past couple of days I have been feeling like someone has been following me." At her words, he tensed up. She didn't seem like the type of girl to exaggerate details. "At first I thought maybe it was the media because of the date I told you about, but nothing has come out in the papers or online…." She seemed hesitant to say more. After giving her an encouraging nod she continued, "… I… have also been feeling like someone is watching me not just at work… but at my apartment. And …well.. let's just say the last time this happened my fears were not unfounded."

That explanation brought up more questions, but he had the sense, or tact some might call it, not to approach the matter at the moment. "Is there any possibility it is the same people or person from before?" When he asked that question, what he could only interpret as relief filled her eyes.

"You believe me?"

"Yes. You don't seem like the type of person to exaggerate these things. Besides, if this happened in the past and you were right, then there is all the more reason for you to take this seriously. "

"…Thank you," she said sincerely, "… the last time even my family told me I was nuts. So I was nervous about telling anyone this time."

"Well they must have been very sorry to hear after something happened."

"…" Her silence bothered him.

"Do they know something happened?" She simply shook her head. Surprise filled him. "Does anyone know that something happened?" She shook her head again. "Not even the police?" He suddenly found himself aggravated at her. Something bad happened that involved her being watched/ followed in some way, yet she told no one.

" I…I never told anyone."

He sighed and tried to hide his frustration. "So then it could be the same people/person."

"… No.. well maybe but it is highly unlikely."

"How do you know?"

"… because… well….its hard to explain, but let's just say I have a guarantee that he will never bother me again."

That answer didn't satisfy him, but it did seem like she did not want to nor was willing to go into more detail.

"I'm sorry," she started, "I shouldn't have said anything. It's not your problem. I mean this is just the third time we have talked. We don't even really know each other. Honestly I am surprised you are even talking to me. The first time we met I was bleeding, the second I was crying, and now I just kicked and punched you."

He chuckled at her summary. It was true. Most men would have just left her alone after the first encounter and definitely by the second. Of course, Steve Rogers wasn't most men. Besides, something about her intrigued him. There was a depth to her that he didn't see in most people, particularly women, in this day and age. It was, oddly, refreshing being around her.

"Well, you keep me on my toes and I appreciate that."

She smirked at him and muttered something that sound like "strange man."

Going on instinct he asked, "May… may I give you my number?" A look of pure surprise was on her face. "That way you can call me if something happens. Not that I don't think you can handle yourself because as you just proved earlier you can, but I -." He realized he was babbling and was thankful, although self-conscious, when her laugh and smile interrupted him.

"Yes, that would be fine. It is a really nice offer that I will accept." Smiling back he pulled out his cell phone from his sweatpants pocket.

"Why don't you text me so that way I will have your number." He began to feel dismay at her suggestion. Sure it would be logical, but how did one go about texting? When he paused for a while she asked, "Do you have texting?"

Oh this was embarrassing, "Yes, but I don't know how to use it yet." Actually he was guessing he had it. SHIELD gave him the phone, along with everything else he would need to blend in, and they said it was the newest model.

"May I see it then? I can show you how to use it, if you like."

"Please." Anya then took the phone from him and entered her number into the contacts. She then demonstrated how to send a text. A moment later a "Hey Listen" in a high pitched voice filled the air. He looked around for the voice.

"Oh, that is just my ringtone. It's from Zelda, an old video game I grew up with."

"Okay. Thank you for giving me a hand. It's kind of embarrassing."

"Don't be embarrassed. I didn't have texting till later in life anyways, and I still don't have a smart phone like yours." He nodded pretending to know what a smart phone was. He would google it later. SHIELD had given him a few technology lessons to help him adapt as well and it was through that he learned about the both amazing and terrifying search engine.

They ended up talking for a bit longer before saying goodbye. He would have offered to walk her to her apartment; he wanted to, but something told him she would take it the wrong way. They were still strangers. They had, however, before parting, promised to meet up some time for jogging.

After she left, he went to work on the punching bag. It wasn't until after he finished that he realized what just occurred. He gave a girl his number and was going to spend time with her. What was he going to do? He didn't know how to act around women period, much less in this century. Not to mention it almost felt wrong. Like he was betraying Peggy. No, that isn't right. He just wants to be friends. She's the first person in the century he has had a decent conversation with who wasn't paid to talk to him, aka SHIELD instructors. Pulling out his phone to check the time he saw it was glowing. Sliding his finger across the screen, he hit the glowing little envelope button. It was a message from her: _Steve thanks again for listening and believing me. I look forward to meeting up with you again. _

Maybe it would work out alright after all.

_***_**ATST (At the same time)******

Clint Barton, code name Hawkeye, was living up to his name as he was perched on the ledge of a building facing the gym Anya Marvel used and had entered a few hours earlier. She had just exited the building, and he was about to follow, when a voice came in through his ear piece.

"Agent Barton report"

"Command this is Agent Barton. Only thing worth reporting is that she uses the same gym as the Captain and she knows she is being followed."

"Barton, has she been in communication with the Captain?"

"Unknown, sir. I did not approach because of Captain. If you recall previous monitoring missions failed because he knew we followed him. So I didn't approach."

"Fine. Why do you say she knows she is being followed?"

"General behavior - jumpiness and monitoring surroundings."

"Very well, we will proceed with the plan in 20 hours."

"Copy that command. Over and out."

Clint set a timer on his watch for 20 hours before heading back to the girl's apartment. He was looking forward to this being over. Normally he wasn't assigned basic monitoring jobs anymore. He guessed she had to be high profile in order for him to be put on her tail. Still, no one bothered to explain why she was special, even when he asked. Maybe he would get some answers in 20 hours, but probably not. He wondered what Natasha was up to. It felt odd to not have her at his side. She had been on Stark's case for a few months now. Hopefully that would end and they could both get back to work.

**A/N: It is important Clint doesn't know you guys get your first fight scene next chapter! Go action! I would appreciate feedback.  
**


	9. Chapter 9: Crafty

**A/N: I don't own anything so don't try and sue. Also I forgot, when I posted last chapter, that I had broken up this and the next chapter. So no action yet - don't hate me. I promise it is in chapter 10. That's also when you meet SHIELD. Today it's a bit of a filler chapter. Thank you for all how have reviewed, followed and Favorited this. **

**Chapter 9: Crafty **

Anya had been right. She did overdo her workout and feel its effects in the morning. She had set her alarm for 11am, just in case she didn't wake up before then. And for the first time that week she slept deeply, so the alarm had been needed. She forced herself to stretch, every muscle in her body screaming, before she did anything else. Turning on the coffee pot, she took a quick shower.

After her shower she realized no one else was home. Anya briefly wondered if her roommates had even came home last night. She rarely saw her roommates most days. The fact of the matter was they were not friends. They were roommates. They were strangers who were only together because of circumstances. It seemed harsh, but then again it was New York.

Ready and filled with coffee Anya looked at the clock; it was only 11:30am. Deciding the best thing would be to just walk slowly to the Tower, she headed out. Her apartment was far enough that if she stopped at a shop or two she would make it not much earlier than to 1pm.

An hour and a half later her hair looked like a birds nest, Anya decided as she looked into a store window. It had been windy out, as per normal in NYC. Thankfully, being spring, it wasn't humid out yet. So at least she wasn't a sweaty mess when she arrived. If he really was introducing her to "family" she wanted to look decent. Of course it wasn't like she dressed up for this. It was Saturday and that meant jeans, nice shirt and Tomms. No dress pants, no flats. Time for comfy. Well semi-comfy. She wasn't about to wear sweatpants visiting Tony Stark even if he was her brother. She did end up arriving early, but security let her through anyway. No one else was there. Hello ghost town.

Getting in the elevator she realized she had no idea where to go. What was that AI's name? Maybe he would know.

"Jarvis" she said quietly.

"Yes Miss." Relief filled her at his voice.

"Where is Tony?"

"He is in the basement. Would you like to join him?"

"Yes… if it is okay for me to go down there."

"Mr. Stark has given you full clearance to the Tower. You are authorized to go anywhere in the building." That stunned her. Sure she was related, but the guy just met her. How did he know he could trust her?

"Okay then." Seeing a B after the *L button she assumed that was it and pressed it. She expected, being the next stop, the ride would only take a second, but it seem to last longer than that. She wondered how far she was underground.

Once out of the elevator she found herself in a tiny hallway and across from a glass door. The door had a screen attached with a giant hand print outline on it. Figuring why not try she placed her hand on the pad and was only mildly surprised when the red light switched to green. From the hallway she heard heavy rock music playing. As soon as she opened the door, however it shut off. Ah, Tony wouldn't like that, but it was a good way to announce one's presence.

She instantly heard the sound of a thump followed by a cursing Tony. Running towards the sound, she found an angry Tony, holding his head, sitting in the middle of the ground on some sort of square black mat. What looked like a skate board without wheels was sitting next to him.

"Are you okay?" He seemed surprised to see her. When he didn't answer she repeated the question.

Waving his hand he said, "Yeah I just fell."

"You fell? What were you doing?" At that question his eyes seemed to light up as he began to explain his invention.

"Wait a moment," she interrupted Tony, "You are going off on a tangent. Let me get this straight. You wanted to make a hover board, like in Back to The Future, but in order to do that you needed to make a new battery that had the same power as the arc reactor?"

"Well, basically yes."

"And you did it?"

"Of course, why the doubt?"

Choosing to ignore that comment she asked, "What is the battery made of?"

Getting up Tony, walked over to a table, "Jarvis pull up the battery."A holograph of the new battery, enlarged several times, appeared on the table. Tony used the model and explained the battery.

"Wow… I mean Tony this is awesome. This will completely change everything. All the waste from batteries, chemicals from making them, not to mention expense from replenishing them so often – all that is gone."

Right after she said that a male voice came from behind her. "Don't go praising him. He will only get a larger ego." Spinning around Anya found a tall, relatively buff, man, who had chocolate color skin, in military uniform. She would have been more alarmed if Tony didn't bat an eye at his arrival.

"Hey Rhody."

"Tony. And this is?"

"Ah Rhody meet Anya. Anya meet Rhody."

Holding out her hand she offered her greeting, "It's nice to meet you Rhody."

"Who are you?" He asked her directly while shaking her hand.

Giving a light laugh she said, "That's direct. I like it, although, I will ask you the same question."

This is when Tony interjected again. "Anya meet Colonel James Rhodes of U.S. Air force, a liaison between me and them and a constant pain in my neck."

"You mean the guy who saves your ass and gets no recognition for it."

Amused, Anya listened to the men take jabs at each other. After a few minutes she couldn't help but laugh. At which sound they both stopped and looked at her."Sorry, you guys are like toddlers in a sand box. Anyway it's nice to meet a friend of Tony."

Rhody got serious quickly, "Tony who is she?"

"Ummm,"he looked at her and back to Rhody, "she's someone special."

Anya rolled her eyes at that. It was accurate, but she doubted the man would be satisfied with that. Rhody looked back and forth between the two of them. Not giving him time to start up again Tony asked, " Why are you here Rhody? Other than to interrogate my girl."

"Your girl?"

"Answer the question."

"I asked him to come." said a familiar voice, and in walked in Ms. Potts and Ms. Rushmore.

"What is this, a dinner party?"

"Actually it is a lunch meeting, which you invited us to."

Anya was not sure about this. Making eye contact with Tony she raised an eye brow.

"I asked you over so you could get to know everyone. Happy is also joining us for lunch. As is Rhody I guess."

"He is," Pepper interjected, "I changed the number of people for the lunch reservations."

"Tony," Rhody, started up again, "You have never introduced us all to a girl before. What is going on? Pepper just told me you only meet her last Friday and had one date with her. Then all a sudden she has access to this building; a building which has very important and secret work in it?"

Did he forget she was standing there, Anya wondered. It was kind of pissing her off. She didn't like being overlooked, although she put up with it for work. She couldn't stand, however, someone judging or assuming things about her without trying to get all the information. The man had been cold from the start, causing her to dislike him. However, he was obviously friends with her Tony, so she would have to give him another chance.

"I see. Tony can I talk to you in private?" Anya asked him before walking away from the group. She heard him sigh and follow. She also heard Ms. Potts and Rhody start to whisper. She swore she heard Rhody say something about Tony whipped. That was an amusing thought. When they were a few yards away she stopped and just faced a very nervous looking Tony.

"Tony"

"Yes Kitten."

"Don't call me kitten"

"No? I'll find some other name."

"Must you?

"Yes."

"Anyway. Tony I get that you want me to meet your friends. Truly I do, and I am happy to get to know them. But how were you planning on explaining our relationship while keeping your promise?"

"I… well.." that answered her question. He was so caught up in the whole "I have a sister" thing and didn't think it through. Of course it was kind of flattering that he liked her well enough to want her to meet his friends. Still…She looked back at the group. Ms. Rushmore was waiting calmly, while Rhody and Ms. Potts were talking. She guessed Happy was waiting downstairs with the car.

"Tony, do you trust them-"

"-with my life."

"Don't interrupt me. I was going to say do you trust them to keep a secret?"

"Yes."

"You didn't hesitate."

"That is a statement."

"I meant it as a question."

"Then ask it."

She simply shook her head and smiled at her brother. "Let's go back and join the others."

As they walked back up she noticed another person had joined the group. She vaguely recalled him as the driver from the other night. So that must be Happy. It made sense, considering his position and the amount of time he must have spent with Tony that they were friends.

"So let's go to lunch," announced Tony as they joined the group. At his words both Ms. Potts and Rhody frowned. Natalia looked tired. Happy looked confused.

"Ms. Marvel I don't mean to be rude-" Ms. Potts began; Anya wanted to say then don't be, "-but I need to know who you are. Rhody brought up a very good point earlier. I don't understand why you, Tony, would give a woman you had only one date with clearance to everything."

"She's-"

"I'm his sister."

Shock filled everyone's, except Ms. Rushmore's, faces. That was interesting.

"Excuse me?" Ms. Potts said.

"Everyone, this is my sister, well half-sister, Anya." Tony smoothly answered. He seemed happy to share the truth.

"Tony you don't have a sister. I have been with you for years and one was never mentioned." Ms. Potts insisted.

"I didn't know until Friday – nor did she I will point out. Jarvis found it out when I asked for a background check. Right Jarvis?"

"That is correct sir. Anya Marvel was adopted at birth by Jim and Lydia Marvel in Iowa. Her father is unknown, but her mother is Maria Stark. I told you this after Ms. Marvel left early from your date."

Ms. Potts forehead crinkled. "Wait, left early? Jarvis you said she left at 11pm."

"That is correct Pepper. Ms. Marvel arrived at 5:30pm and left at 6:15pm. Mr. Stark found out about her heritage around 7:15pm. At which point, he left as Iron Man. He then came back with Ms. Marvel shortly after. She left later at 11pm. "

"Tony you went out as Iron Man to pick up your sister?" Rhody asked with disbelief.

"Less like pick up and more like threaten," Anya interjected.

"What?!" Pepper, Happy and Rhody yelled at once.

"I was on my way home from the gym when he started yelling at me 'why didn't you tell me'. He even broke the door frame to my apartment building. You have to fix that by the way Tony. I tried to get away and he forcibly took me here. Then when I tried to leave he locked down the elevators."

"Tony!" Ms. Potts yelled at him after hearing Anya's story.

Tony just shrugged his shoulders. "I wanted to know why she didn't tell me. That is when I found out she didn't know. "

They still seemed to be getting over the shock.

"I know this is startling news to you all. It certainly was for me. I… I need to request, however, that you all promise not to tell anyone…. I'm not ready to tell others about it yet. I only was willing to tell you all because Tony said he trusted you."

"Of course!" Exclaimed Ms. Potts.

"Thank you Ms. Potts."

"Call me Pepper."

"I promise as well."

"Thank you Rhody."

"I won't tell anyone."

"Thank you Ms. Rushmore."

"Natalia," she insisted.

"Natalia," Anya agreed.

"Same"

"Thank you Happy."

"What about me?" asked Tony.

"What about you?" At that everyone chuckled as Tony feigned being hurt.

"Okay, now can we go to lunch?" Laughing again they all entered the elevator and headed up for lunch.

******TF (Tony Focused)*****

Tony had to say that all went over well. Everyone who needed to know knew who Anya was. That girl amused him. He would bet his hover board that she only told them about him "kidnapping" her just to gain their favor and trust. She was crafty, but in a good way. She had a good heart – he knew that from when he first watched her interact with his employee in the elevator. He would have to watch it though. With her and Pepper teaming up against him, like they did at lunch, he was going to be in trouble. Maybe he could bribe her…. probably not but a gift of a hover board wouldn't hurt.

**A/N: I wish I had a hover board. There was a spoof commercial for one (they made a website and everything). My heart was broken by it not being real. Being a nerd, my beta (co-worker who will be written into this story later) and I discussed the scientific problems with it. As we did with teleportation. Still, despite the logic, my heart is sad because I thought it would be like the Jetsons when I got older and it's not. Anyway. Please review - it's the only way I will improve as a writer. **


	10. Chapter 10: This was not her day

**A/N: I don't own anything but my OCs and story. Here is some action for you guys. Also this is a super long chapter; I decided to be nice and not break it up. So enjoy. Oh also, Coulson is in his early 30s. Actually, just assume I have made everyone around 5-10 years younger than the movies. Why? Because that's my age group and I can. :P Ah the joys of being a Fan fiction writer.**

** Chapter 10: This was not her day. **

Anya was exhausted. It had been fun; meeting Tony's family, well after they stopped questioning her. She got why they did it. It actually made her trust them more in the long run, but that didn't change the fact is that it was annoying.

She liked Pepper a lot. The woman definitely knew how to handle Tony. He obviously liked her, so why the pause on that whole relationship was a mystery to her. Wait a moment – she just found out the guy was her brother a little over a week ago and she was interfering in his love life. She needed help. She guessed sister instincts just kick in.

Natalia was cool, but there was something about that woman she didn't trust. She liked her well enough, but still. Happy was darling and Tony abused him too much. Rhody was nice, but seemed to be staring at her most of the lunch. She also couldn't fully trust him because of his loyalty to the government. She had no doubt he would choose his country over Tony.

The lunch had been humorous and long. Afterwards she made Tony call to have her apartment building doorframe repaired. Tony wanted to go and fix it himself, but there was no way she was going to have that. What better way for the media to find out about her. When they got back from lunch Tony demonstrated his hover board. He wouldn't let her try it though, which made her mad. He also tried to get her to fight Natalia, apparently the woman kicked Happy's ass when she first came. That also aggravated her. Was that what brothers did, Anya wondered. Aggravate sisters all the time? At least her life was more interesting now.

It was starting to get dark when she arrived home. She had just taken her shoes off and was about to change into her pajamas, a default setting for her, when she heard a knock at the door. Odd, no one else was home and she wasn't expecting anyone. She looked through the peep hole and saw a blond man in a suit.

"Who is it?" she called out.

"Agent Coulson with SHIELD."

"What?"

"I am from a government agency. Please open the door."

"I have never heard of SHIELD."

"That is not a surprise."

"Well then this should come as no surprise. I am not opening the door. So go away before I call the police."

"Agent Barton open the door," the man outside said. Moving away from the door, expecting it to be kicked in, she ran for her cell phone which was in her room. The problem was, however, a man was in between her and her bedroom door. The man was in an all black outfit and looked like a mercenary – short brown hair, chiseled muscles, serious face - and oddly enough he had a bow in his hand and arrows on his back.

Eyes wide she looked around for a weapon. Dashing into the kitchen, which was on her right, she grabbed the iron skillet sitting on the stove top. For once she was happy her roommate forgot to put the stupid thing away. No one was behind her. The man hadn't followed her into the kitchen. That was when she heard the click of the front door being unlocked. Shit, was all she could think. The fire escape suddenly called to her, glowing like the Holy Grail Beacon in her mind. She unlocked and forced open the window. She slide out onto the escape and started to make her way down.

She cursed herself for not keeping her shoes on. The stupid thing was rusty and littered with people's crap. She was happy she had just gotten a tetanus shot last doctor visit. She heard a yell and cursing above her, followed by the thumping of feet on the metal escape. Clutching the skillet harder in her hand, she pushed herself to move faster. She was at the bottom, but there was a one floor gap between the last rung and the ground. Also at the bottom was a man in suit who was dressed like the man from her door. Going with instinct, she jumped from the escape and landed on the man.

The fall knocked him down, but she was fine. "Thanks," she said as she used her pan and hit the man in the head. Getting up she ran as fast as she could down the street. Her goal was the gym. They had a phone there. Also she didn't doubt that if there was anyone there they would help her. Once she had been hurt and everyone tried to help her; she decide it was because she was a girl and most everyone there was a guy. Ah, chivalry. Who said it was dead? Maybe Steve would be there too.

She didn't even make it to the end of the street. An arrow was shot in front of her, forcing her to stop. At that same moment a black van pulled up right beside her. The man from before, Barton she assumed, was on her left. Turning around, the man who said his name was Coulson was walking towards her. Why did her life just turn into an action movie? Also why was there no one on the streets when she needed them? Seriously! This was not her day.

"Ms. Marvel, please put down the frying pan," Coulson asked. Her hand gripped it tighter.

"Tell you what. Why don't you have someone order you to open your door, have a man with a weapon show up inside of your home, be chased down a fire escape and surrounded in the street. Oh and let's not forget have an arrow shot at you. Then when all that has happened to you, you can advise me about what to do."

"Huh, I like her," Barton said after Anya's rant. She glared at him.

"We only want to talk," Coulson assured her.

"Then talk."

"Not here."

"Then change your statement. You don't only want to talk. You want to take me to an undisclosed location to talk. Something I am not too keen on."

"We are not going to hurt you."

"Bullshit."

Coulson sighed before saying, "Barton, take the frying pan from her, tie her up and get her in the van." After he said that, he simply walked towards the van and got into the passenger side. At the same time Barton came towards her.

His bow was around gone, she assumed in his quiver around his back, and he held his hands up. It made him look like he was trying to approach a wild animal, which only pissed her off more. He moved slowly towards her. When he was a few feet away, she took one step forward and swung the pan, like a baseball bat towards his head.

In a fluid motion he ducked under it, grabbed her right arm and squeezed, forcing her hand to drop the pan. While she could have held on to it with her left hand, she let it drop. She twisted and used a left hook to punch his face, which he obviously hadn't expect because he failed to deflect it. The punch was only enough to get him to drop her arm.

As her arm was already there, she grabbed his right shoulder, with both hands, and kneed him hard in the stomach. She obviously didn't hit him hard enough, as he, bending over, shoved her to the ground. That not only hurt, but it knocked the wind out of her. By her pausing for a second, he had enough time to capture her arms and pin them to the ground.

Moving quickly, she slipped her right knee between her body and his chest. Forcing her hips off the ground she moved her other foot up and kicked him hard in the face. She did this repeatedly until he let go of her hands. When there was enough space, she straightened her right leg and kicked him in the chest. He rolled to the side, and she took the opportunity to get up. Unfortunately for her he was not out for long.

The moment she got to her feet, she felt something swipe her legs out from under her. Using her training she tilted her head to the side and fell on her forearms – making her look like she was in the plank position. Then there was a knee in her back and two very strong arms yanking hers from underneath her and forcing them behind her. She knew at that moment she was done. Her sense of defeat was only strengthened as she felt cold cuffs trap her hands together.

The moment the cuffs were in place the weight of the knee on her back vanished. She was yanked to her feet by her arms, causing her to inhale sharply in the pain. He pushed her towards the car and shoved her in. On the positive side, when she was in the car, he helped her sit up right. She had fallen on her side and was having a hard time of it on her own. Stupid handcuffs.

As soon as they were in the van, it took off. Looking out the window she watched as they drove out of the city, heading north. After about 30 minutes, although since she had no watch she was guessing at the time, her wrists and shoulders were throbbing miserably. She looked over at Barton. He was either in deep thought or simply bored. She was kind of proud to see a bruise start to from on his left cheek. There was also blood on his chest. She looked down at her feet and saw red. Yeah, not wearing shoes was a problem. She looked back over at him. She stared at him until he made eye contact.

"What?" he said briskly .

"Any way you could take off these cuffs?"

He snorted at that. "Really?"

"Do you think I am going anywhere? You have already shown you can beat me in a fight. I'm too injured to run. Not to mention I am trapped in this car. So yes, I am asking you to take my cuffs off." Barton just rolled his eyes.

If at first you don't succeed, try a different strategy. "Agent Coulson, you said you only wanted to talk. You said you didn't want to hurt me. These cuffs are causing me undue pain. Please take them off."

Coulson turned in his seat to look at her. He looked vaguely familiar. She wondered why. He stared into her eyes for a moment. " Do you promise to cooperate?'

"Yes"

"Barton un-cuff her. Know that if you try anything I will Taser you and leave you to lie in your own drool."

"Duly noted." She turned her back towards Barton so that he could un-cuff her, which he did. She had to force herself not to sigh in relief. Looking at her wrists she wondered how she was going to explain the cuts away when people asked. Of course that was assuming she was ever released. She vowed to keep her cell phone on her at all times if she made it through this. If she had she could have called her brother to save her, but she didn't and couldn't. So now she was in a dark van with 'government' agents, bleeding into the carpet. This was so not her day.

******Clint Focused (CF)*****

A little later the group finally arrived at the underground base in upstate New York. Getting out of car, Clint stayed with Anya and Coulson as they walked her to an interrogation room. Clint observed Anya, as he had been doing for the past week. She seemed to be counting the number of turns they made. She would make a good agent, he had to admit. Although, he was still pissed she had managed to land a punch on him. He was about to go follow them into the room when Coulson stopped him.

"Agent Barton, your part in this is over. Everything regarding Anya Marvel is now level eight security clearance. You are to write a report and then prepare for another assignment in a few days."

"Come on Coulson. You had me trail a little girl for a few days. Then we bring her in and write her off as a level eight? Can't you tell me something about her? All I know is that she knows someone in the Stark Tower and works in the same gym as Captain."

"Barton – just do as you're told," and with that Coulson walked into the interrogation room and shut the door.

Muttering to himself Clint almost ran into Natasha.

"Hey! Is your luxurious stay in Stark Tower over?"

"If by luxurious you mean a pain in the ass and boring as hell, I wish."

"You've go to be kidding me. You've been there for how long? A few months?"

"Too long, but what do you care?"

"Tasha you hurt me, we're partners."

"Huh"

"Wait a moment, are you following Tony Stark."

"Is your memory lapsing for some reason? Yes I have been tailing Stark, you know this."

"Sorry, but the connection just came."

"That is really sad. Let's get you to the psych-ward."

"No I mean you are following Stark, so you would know what Anya Marvel was doing at the Tower today."

"Anya Marvel?"

"Yes, they had me tail her for a week and Coulson and I brought her in."

"Is she the reason for the bruise and bloody foot print to your chest?"

"Yeah… she wasn't wearing shoes when she tried to escape down a fire escape."

"Ha! I knew I liked her for a reason."

"So you know her."

"Yes."

"Then tell me her background."

"Why aren't you with Coulson right now?"

"Tasha just tell me."

"Answer me first." This initiated a staring contest, which of course Clint lost.

"Fine! Coulson said she is now a level 8 secret."

"Huh, I better talk to Fury then," and with that she walked away.

"Tasha!" he yelled after her, and she just causally waved her hand.

So much for partners sharing information, he muttered to himself and walked away.

********Anya Focus (Back to my girl) *******

Keep it together, was what Anya kept telling herself ever since they arrived in the underground building. As they took her down an elevator and through a series of turns, she tried to keep track of every direction in her head. She knew it was kind of pointless. She would not be able to escape, but it kept her sane. She almost started to panic when they led her into an interrogation room, which she only recognized because of cops shows like Castle and CSI. There was only a metal table, some chairs and a giant dark window, which she assumed had a room behind it with people watching.

The Coulson guy stopped Barton from entering and sat down across from her. She tried to focus on the coolness of the chair rather than the pain from her feet and body; although, the pain was preferable to the nervous feeling in her stomach. The guy just sat there staring at her. After a few moments she decided ignoring him was the best bet. So she folded her arms on the table and laid down her head. A few minutes later, although it seemed like forever, a man who was cross between The Matrix and a pirate entered in. Truth be told, however, he only looked pirate-esk because of the eye patch. If he didn't have that she would say he was a Matrix mercenary. He wore all black and leather and his dark face seemed to be chiseled with a permanent scowl.

"Anya Marvel. My name is Director Fury. I heard you had an eventful trip in."

"Well that tends to happen when people are taken against their will."

"Now taken is a strong word. It's more like borrowed. Just for a talk."

"I am not a _thing_ to be borrowed!"

"I never said you were." They stared at each other for a few moments.

"Why am I here?"

"You are here because of who you are."

"What?"

"You are the half-sister of Tony Stark: a man who is a consultant for this agency and is privy to some very important and dangerous knowledge."

"So what? That is my half-brother, whom I only knew about two Fridays ago. Something I am pretty sure you knew about because you had me followed."

"We did, just to make out what type of person you are."

"And what type of person am I?"

"According to Agent Barton: a loner who is determined, compassionate, hard-worker, and sarcastic."

"Well that's not a bad summary."

"No it is not. I still need to know your intentions."

"Intentions?"

"With your brother. You could easily steal his secrets and sell them to other companies. You could just as easily manipulate him. According to my agent, you have him wrapped around your pinky finger and it's only been a little over a week."

"Your agent? Last time you named your agent, but this time you didn't. Why is that Director? Is it because it is another agent? It must be. Is it Natalia Rushmore?"

Fury just glared at her. Strategy time, Anya decided. "How about this, I will answer your questions if you answer mine. Deal?" After a few moments he nodded in agreement.

"Fine. My only intention is to get to know my brother. I have no friends or family in the city besides him. He is also the only person in my family who has not lied to me for 25 years. So I simply want to spend time with my brother. I could care less for the money because, despite student loans and living expenses, I am happy where I am in life right now. I have a great job. I live in a good apartment with roommates I can stand. And now I have a brother."

"Okay. I, for now, believe you and yes."

"Wait, yes is the answer to all my questions or just one of them?"

Director Fury ignored her. "Another question, how much do you know about Captain America?"

"Who?"

"Captain America."

"You mean the guy from WWII who was a war hero and ionic figure?"

"Yes."

"Only that."

"Excellent."

"Why do you ask?"

"You don't have security clearance to know that."

"Security clearance? Really? Who the hell are you guys anyway?"

"We are SHIELD – Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. We are an anti-terrorism and intelligence organization under the World Council."

"Well I'm just learning all types of new things today."

"We will be in touch," Director Fury said as he started to get up and walk away.

"Wait a moment, you brought me all the way here just for that 2 minute conversation? Seriously?"

"Do you want to stay longer?"

"No I'm good, but next time just call."

"You really are his sister," Fury said getting up from the table.

As he was walking out of the room, she called to him, "Director Fury?"

"Yes?"

"Would you know anything about my father?"

At that question he just turned and walked out the door. Anya was sure that was a sign he did know and didn't want to tell her.

"Ms. Marvel-"

"- Anya's fine Agent Coulson."

"Okay. Anya we will take you back now."

*****Little while later****

The ride back home seemed shorter. Anya managed to keep it together until she got into her apartment. The moment she entered her door- which had been left unlocked by SHIELD and that was good thing since she didn't have her key on her- she could feel herself start to go into shock. The adrenaline had left her. Her body felt weak and cold. Pain was the main sensation. Using the walls for support she managed to get to her room. Her cell phone was on her bed. Falling onto the bed it took all her strength to pick it up and dial Tony's number.

****TF** **

Tony was working out the kinks of his hover board, planning on giving it to his new sister, when the phone rang.

"Sir, Ms. Marvel is on the line."

"Answer it Jarvis."

"Yes Sir."

"You just saw me a few hours ago and you call? I feel flattered."

"Tony, I need help." The weakness in her voice caught Tony's attention more than her words.

"What's wrong? Where are you?"

"I'm at my apartment. I think my body is going into shock." Her voice kept fading. He barely caught the last part.

"Jarvis get the suit ready and her apartment number. Hey Anya, hold on. I'm coming." He told her as he jumped into his latest Iron Man suit.

"I…I'm going to go to sleep now Tony…"

"No! Anya stay awake!" He was in the air flying towards her apartment

"Sorry"

"Anya! Damn it! Jarvis what is her apartment number?"

"It is D3 sir. Her apartment has an exit to the fire escape. That would be your best entrance option. "

"I see it." Tony landed on top of the fire escape and threw open the window, which was luckily unlocked. Not that it would have mattered. He could have just blasted the thing.

"Her room is down the hallway, 3rd door on the left sir." Running Tony arrived to see his sister curled up on her bed, shaking and looking sickly pale.

"Jarvis, scan her."

"One moment, sir…. Sir, she is indeed in shock. She has lost a good deal of blood through her feet. There is severe bruising on her legs and arms. Additionally her wrists have cuts on them."

"What do I do Jarvis?"

"Lay her on her back, elevate her feet, and keep her warm." Tony quickly moved to do what the AI told him.

"She's so cold."

"She will need medical attention. Shall I call an ambulance?"

"No, I'll take her back to the Tower." Tony had a feeling there was something going on that they wouldn't want the police involved in, which would happen if he took her to the hospital. Besides if she wanted that she would have called 911.

"Jarvis, call my doctor and have him come in to the tower. Give him a breakdown of how she is."

"Yes, sir, also you may move her now. I suggest wrapping her up in a few blankets to keep her warm as you are going to be flying." Tony carefully picked her up with the blankets, while supporting her neck. He had a hesitation about going through the fire escape window, but there was a higher likelihood someone would see them if they went out the normal way. He arrived at the Tower within a minute. He left the suit on and took her straight to the small hospital wing they had set up on the 19th floor. The doctor and a nurse were already there.

"Tony, lay her down on the bed."

"Will she be okay?" he asked as he did as the doctor directed.

"She should be, but let us do our job."

Tony didn't want to move from her side.

"Tony, I need you to leave. Go take off the suit and call Pepper. We will take care of her."

"Okay Doc," and then with great effort he forced himself out of the room. When he was in the elevator, heading for his garage/lab, he told Jarvis to call Pepper and tell her what happened. Once his suit was put away he went back up to the hospital area and waited outside of the door on the floor. He really needed to order chairs for this area.

A little while later, a frantic looking Pepper came half running down the halls. "Tony – how is she?" she asked as she came towards him. Tony was still sitting on the floor leaning against the wall.

"I don't know." He answered her quietly but with iron in each word.

"Tony" her voice was full of concern.

"Pepper….I….she…."

Pepper slowly sat down next to him and waited for him to speak. It took him a few moments to control his emotions enough to talk.

"Her feet were bleeding… she is covered in bruises…and her wrists. Pep they look like they had been bounded together…. Who would hurt her? What… what if it was because of me?"

"Shhh Tony," Pepper tried to sooth him, "we don't know what happened, but we will find out. And this is not your fault."

"But-"

"-Nothing. You were not the one who hurt her. You are the one she called. You are the one who gave her emergency medical care."

"What if I didn't get there fast enough?"

"Tony, you got there as soon as you could. Stop with the 'what ifs' and the doubts. Your sister is going to need you to be strong when she wakes up."

"…Thank you Pepper."

"You're welcome."

After a few moments Tony asked, "Where is Natalia by the way? I figured she would be with you."

"She had the day off. I called and left her a voice mail. Same with Rhody and Happy."

"Did I wake you?"

"Tony it's only 10pm. So no you didn't. I was preparing for a meeting tomorrow."

"Pepper Potts the diligent CEO of Stark Industries."

"Well someone has to work."

"Hey I work." At that comment Pepper just raised an eyebrow and decided to leave it alone."Well I do."

"Tony-" Whatever Pepper was going to say was cut off by the sound of the door opening. The doctor seemed a bit surprised to see both of them on the floor. Tony was instantly on his feet.

"How is she?'

"She is fine. I have an IV and oxygen hooked up to help with the shock. Her feet were cut up pretty bad. She needs to stay on antibiotics to fight infection. Don't be alarmed if she ends up having a fever. She should stay off her feet for at least a week and should get plenty of rest. I'll be back tomorrow to check on her. Call me if anything happens."

"Thank you doc." Tony heartily said before going into the medical room. Pepper stayed outside.

Her eyes were closed. It hurt him to see her there- with tubs in her nose and arms. He didn't realize till that moment how much she meant to him. Yeah he had only met her a little while ago, but they had spent a great deal of time talking to each other since. She was funny, loyal, smart and kind. She was the type of sister he always wanted. One who would fight with him, but always love him afterwards.

He sat down next to her. At least there was a chair in this room, he thought. He reached and gently held her hand. Seeing bandages on her wrist he stroked her hand with his thumb and whispered, "I am so sorry." He knew this was his fault. Staring at her, unbidden memories of captivity came to him. He pushed them down and focused on the person in front of him. "I'll protect you. I promise."

********AF*****  
**Anya awoke feeling warm and pain free but a bit fuzzy in the brain, indicating to her that she was probably drugged. She would have panicked if not for the presence of her brother sitting next to her. That is when it struck her. She thought of him as her brother. Not as Tony, not as her supposed brother, but as her _brother_.

"Tony?" she called her brother. He was currently staring at her hand with sorrow and guilt etched on his face. His head jerked up and smiled at seeing her eyes open.

"Hey little bird."

"Little bird?"

"Yeah – I think it suits you."

"I guess it could be worse."

"How are you feeling?"

"Drugged."

"You've got to love doctors for that."

"Where am I?"

"My place."

"You have a medical facility in your tower?

"It's the tower it has everything."

"Does it have a swimming pool?"

"…No, but it does have gym."

"Well there you can't say it has everything."

"Do you want me to build a swimming pool? I have extra room."

"Don't tempt me…so how bad am I?"

"You'll be okay. Doc says you should stay off your feet for a week, take medicine and rest."

"Okay. I'll need to call work." That thought sent Anya's mind running. "Tony – how did you bring me here?"

"I flew in through your fire escape that was unlocked. I know you're on the third floor but you should keep that locked."

"It was before I ran out of it this afternoon.- Crap, the front door of my apartment is unlocked. Also my phone is there."

"What? Anyway, don't worry, I'll have someone go, get your stuff and lock up."

"Thank you."

"No problem"

"No thank you for answering my call, for coming and to get me, for sitting there worried about me. You're a great big brother." Anya had to hold back tears saying those words, but she wanted him to know. It looked like he was trying to hide his emotions as well. Leaning over he kissed her forehead.

"Love you little bird."

"Love you too."

** A/N: Awwww bonding moment! So cute. Review please – tell me how you liked the fight scene. Loki comes in two chapters.**


	11. Chapter 11: Stir Crazy

**A/N: I own nothing Marvel, just my OCs and plot. Sooo one more chapter till Battle of NYC and one more twist for you all. Thank you Yasmin for the review. Anya will not be getting superpowers and no iron suit. Atleast not in this story. maybe in a sequel, but that is a while off. Also so sorry you guys for not posting sooner. I blame the holiday weekend. So here is a longer chapter for you all. Enjoy.**

**Chapter 11: Stir crazy**

Anya woke up the next day to see Pepper sitting by her side and her purse on the table next to it. The tubes in her arm and nose were gone, which was a plus. Pepper was working on her phone and did not notice Anya waking up.

"Hi Pepper."

"Hey Anya," she said in a warm voice, "How are you feeling?"

"A bit sore but okay."

"Do you want me to get the nurse for you?"

"Nah, I'm good. Not that I'm not happy to see you, because I am, but don't you have a company to run? You don't have to sit with me."

"It's all good. I am just giving Tony a break. Well actually I had to order him to go shower, eat and sleep for a bit. In exchange, I promised to sit with you. Besides you're family now so I'm happy to sit here."

"Thanks. I wish I could have seen you order Tony out though."

"Yeah I imagine it would have been amusing to watch."

"What time is it?"

"It's 11am, Monday if you wish to know."

"Shoot! I have to call work!"

"Oh don't worry about that. Tony hacked into your work email and emailed your bosses saying you are feeling horrible and might have the flu. How many sick days do you have?"

"A ton."

"Okay no problems then, just remember to email them every day saying you're still sick."

"It sounds like you've done this."

"When I worked as Tony's assistant I had to think of creative excuses when he didn't show up at meetings."

"You are a talented woman Pepper Potts. My brother is lucky to have you around."

"Thanks Anya you're pretty special yourself."

At that moment Pepper's phone vibrated and she apologized saying that she needed to answer the email. When she put the phone down again Anya asked, "Pepper…how is Tony?"

"…He is worried- worried about you being hurt now, but also in the future. He is convinced he is to blame for this. He will probably be a little overprotective for a while."

In a way, Anya could see his train of thought. She had been taken because she was his sister, but it was SHIELD that had came after her, although, in reality she only had herself to blame. If she had gone quietly none of this would have happened. Then again if SHIELD hadn't demanded that she open the door and hadn't taken her by force this wouldn't have happened. So in reality it was 50/50 between her and SHIELD being at fault - although personally she saw it as 5/95 with it being mostly them.

"Thanks for letting me know."

Before Pepper could, her phone started to ring. Apologizing, she stepped outside into the hall. As she walked out, Natalia walked in.

"Hi, may I come in?"

"Sure, I was hoping we could chat."

"Jarvis?"

"Yes Miss?"

"Am I correct in assuming you record everything that occurs in the tower?"

"That is correct, Miss."

"I would like to have a private, off-the-record chat with Natalia. Can you stop or at least delete the video feed from when I first called you until I say so?"

"Yes, Miss, I can do that."

"Thank you Jarvis. Oh and if Tony asks, just tell him I am awake and talking with Natalia since Pepper is busy."

"Very well, Miss. Simply call my name and I will resume normal security recording."

"Will do…. So Natalia. What is your real name?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Curiosity."

"Why did you stop Jarvis from recording this?"

"How about we play the game of if you answer a question I will answer a question."

"… okay… my name is Natasha Romanoff. Why are you not recording this?"

"Because I don't think Tony should know about you yet. What is your purpose here?"

"To shadow and assess Tony Stark. Why don't you want Tony to know?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure. It's mostly a gut feeling that I can trust you. Also what would stop SHIELD from sending someone else in undercover? At least I know it is you."

"Was that last bit a question?"

"No. My question is why are you assessing Tony?"

"I didn't ask when I was assigned this case. I would assume it is to see who he is since he is now a publically known superhero. Do you plan on telling Tony what happened and about SHIELD?"

"Yes and no, I will tell him but leave out names. My injuries are mostly my fault for trying to run and fight the one guy… Barton."

"Okay… By the way, nice punch."

"You saw that?"

"Only the after effect. I know Barton. He was not happy about a little girl getting the drop on him."

"Ha! Well I can imagine that, although he did far more damage to me. The fight didn't even last a minute."

"That is longer than most that are untrained."

"Huh…. That gives me an idea. Natalia – I mean Natasha, would you be willing to make a deal with me?"

"What type of deal?"

"You train me so I can hold my own against people like Barton, and in return I help you maintain your cover."

Natalia/Natasha seemed to consider this for a moment before laughing. "Okay, I will train you, but mainly just to see Barton's face when you beat his ass next time."

At that Anya had to laugh as well.

"Ms. Marvel I hate to interrupt but Mr. Stark is on his way."

"It's fine Jarvis. Resume normal recording. Also Jarvis stop calling me Ms. Marvel the name is Anya."

"Very well Miss."

It was only a moment later that Tony walked in the room to see a happy Anya chatting with Natalia.

"Mr. Stark, seeing as you're here I shall leave and catch up with Ms. Potts." Tony nodded, dismissing Natalia, while Anya said goodbye.

****** TF*****

"Hey kiddo, how are you feeling?" Tony asked sitting down next to Anya.

"Well I can't decide if I should be grateful or aggravated that you hacked into my work email."

"Wait what? ….you were asleep… I knew you cared about work…I …I was only trying to help." Anya couldn't help but laugh at his answer.

"I'm teasing Tony. Thank you, although please do not repeat."

Tony smiled and agreed. After he asked the normal questions – if she was hungry or needed anything- his face grew serious. "Anya, will you please tell me what happened."

"…"

"Please, I need to know if I am going to protect you!"

"…well…to be honest most of it is my fault, but I have to ask you something first."

"What? How was it your fault? Never mind, what is the question?"

"Is it true that you help out a government agency called SHIELD?"

"Yes, but how- was it them?!"

"Kind of."

"What do you mean kind of!"

"Well stop yelling and I'll tell you!" Tony glared at her for that but remained silent.

Anya then gave him a brief version of what occurred, but in keeping her promise to Natasha, she left out names.

Tony's face grew darker with each sentence. He was furious at SHIELD but also at her. Why did she think she could fight an agent?! He knew she took that street fighting class, but still! He tried to hold in his emotions. She was still injured and she had admitted earlier it was mostly her fault but… Oddly enough he was also a little proud of her for fighting back.

"Tony?" Anya gently called to him. He had been withdrawn in thought for several moments after she explained what had happened. He looked up to see tears in her eyes. " Tony I'm sorry for all of this."

"Shhh, It's not your fault. You shouldn't have tried to fight them off, but I honestly can't blame you for trying. You are, after all, my sister…. but, one question. You said they asked you questions. What did they want to know?"

"…."

"Anya"

"… they wanted to know what my intentions with you were."

"…intentions?"

"Yeah…because you work for them and have secrets…they were worried I'd try and sell them or manipulate you into using them for ill purposes."

"…so they kidnapped, questioned and, in the process, injured you because of me."

"Tony Stark you look at me right now. This is not your fault. _They_ decided to bring me into questioning because it was in _their_ interests. _I_ was the one who fought them and got injured. The only way you were involved in this was saving me as I went into shock. So stop whatever train of thought you are on right now. Got it?"

Tony almost wanted to laugh. She had her finger pointed at him and a face that screamed her seriousness. Tony wanted to believe her, but he still felt responsible.

"I won't argue with you. You're too scary when you get like this."

"Tony-"

"- anyway just get some rest okay? What do you want to eat for lunch?"

*****Earlier in the day at SHIELD Headquarters***  
**Phil Coulson was exhausted, not that he would show it. He enjoyed his work. Well enjoyed in the sense that he knew it was what he was meant to do. Barton was still giving him a hard time for not telling him about the girl – Anya Marvel- he had to shadow. Actually, Barton was initially angry about Romanoff getting a different assignment-being gone for so long- and then he was angry about being forced to shadow a kid. The guy only seemed satisfied if he was shooting arrows or doing something with a high risk factor. All of which ended up being more paperwork for him. Still, he liked his team. They were often immature, obnoxious and rowdy, but they put their full effort into their work and were loyal.

Phil was currently on his way to meet with Fury. He had been radioed to come to his office. Secretly Phil was hoping Fury decided to make him Captain Rogers' retainer. Sure the Captain wasn't a part of SHIELD, but they all had no doubt that if they needed him he would fight. When that time came, Phil wanted to work with him. Captain Rogers had been his hero since his father told him stories about the brave man who saved his life in WW11. When they found the Captain in the ice, Phil couldn't express in words his joy at seeing him.

Phil arrived at Fury's office a short while later. Knocking on the door he waited to hear a 'come in' before entering.

"Director you wanted to see me."

"Yes, come in and shut the door." Phil did as he was told. Once he was seated Fury began, "I have a new assignment for you. As you are aware we have had Dr. Erik Selvig working on the Tesseract since we came into contact with him from the New Mexico incident. I want you to go down there and manage the facility. Also, take Barton with you for an extra pair of eyes."

"Yes sir."

"…I have debated on whether to tell you something or not. It will compromise you, but to what extend I do not know."

"Sir…what do you mean compromise?"

"You have a half-sister, Phil."

"Excuse me sir, but can you repeat that?"

"Your father Robert was dedicated to SHIELD, as was your mother. They both worked closely with the founders to make this organization a success. It was only natural that he would then meet one of the founders' wives. They had an affair, which was short lived, but long enough to produce a child."

His father had an affair? That was outrageous for Phil to even think about. His father had raised him to be honorable; to always do the right thing. For him to have an affair with a married woman was… Needless to say, Phil was shell shocked at the moment. Then it hit him – an affair with a founder's wife. Howard Stark was a founder. Anya Marvel was half-sister to Tony Stark.

"…Anya Marvel is my sister."

"Yes, she is."

He had a sister. He had family. Wait a moment… oh no. Phil groaned and put a hand on his face. He had ordered his sister to be captured! She was injured because of him; Agent Romanoff had reported about that this morning. She would hate him. Not to mention he was now related to the world's biggest toddler. Still….he had a family. He hadn't had that since he was seven years old.

Fury let Phil sit there and collect his thoughts. He could see a range of emotion on the usually stoic man's face – shock, wonderment, dread, anxiety, hope, and so on. After a few moments Phil was able to control his emotions and return to the present.

"Director, I request a few days leave."

"Denied – I'm sorry Phil but I need you out in New Mexico with the cube."

"Then I will take the rest of today."

"Phil-"

"-Damn-it Fury she's my sister. I have to go and at least apologize for injuring her! I need to at least meet her properly."

"I was right, this did compromise you."

"Yes, it did… I'm going Director. "

"Fine – go, but make sure you and Barton head out first thing tomorrow."

"Yes sir… and thank you for telling me."

Fury just nodded and waved him out of his office.

****** At the Tower*****  
**Tony had, after much insisting on Anya's part, taken her up to the kitchen/living room area on the 24th floor. She was resting on the couch while he searched for something edible.

"Seriously I think we should just order out," Tony told her while searching cabinets and the fridge.

"Tony do you never cook?"

"I do, but it seems that the pan is always malfunctioning and the food ends up tasting ...well not as good as ordering it out."

Anya had to laugh at that, "So you can't cook."

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Fine – too bad my feet are hurt otherwise I'd cook."

"Just sit there and stop making a fuss. How do turkey sandwiches and chips sound?"

"Sounds good."

"Good because while hot meals may not be my forte I can make an excellent sandwich. I also have blueberries if you want them."

"Sure."

"Mr. Stark, Agent Coulson of SHIELD is here to see Ms. Anya."

"Don't let him in."

"Sir, the elevator, I'm afraid my protocols have been overrriden."

"What's the point of having security then?" Tony yelled at the AI as the elevator door opened up. Agent Coulson walked out and after spotting Anya on the couch, started to walk towards her.

"Wait a moment-"Tony started, standing between them, "-what do you think you are doing here?"

"I am here to talk with Anya."

"SHIELD is the reason she is injured, what makes you think you have any right to be here right now?"

"Mr. Stark –" Coulson started, but was interrupted by Anya.

"-Tony it's okay. I'll talk with him."

"What?!"

"I already told you it is mostly my fault that I got hurt." Tony, obviously angry, backed away and let Coulson pass. Coulson went into the living room area and sat on the couch across from Anya while Tony stayed in the kitchen carefully watching him.

"I am sorry for your injuries. If we had known the extent to which you were hurt, we would have provided you with medical attention."

"It's not your fault."

"Yes, it is. I told Barton to force you into the van."

"WHAT! He was the agent who grabbed you! Yet you are talking to him!" Yelled Tony.

Anya closed her eyes for a moment, looking aggravated at Tony's reaction.

"Tony, shut up please."

"No, he is right to be upset. I am actually surprised you agreed to talk with me."

"Well now I am surprised. I didn't take you for an apologizing man Agent Coulson."

"It's Phil."

"Okay…. Phil… why are you here?"

"Yes, why are you here?" Tony echoed, at which point Anya glared at him.

"…it's a personal matter…" Coulson – no Phil- seemed to struggle for words. He seemed nervous, which felt very odd to Anya.

"…my father… my father worked for SHIELD, as did my mother. They were a part of SHIELD since the foundation of the organization. As such, they knew and worked with the SHIELD founders, which Howard Stark was a part of… as is logical, they met and spent time with the founders' families….Director Fury informed me today that my father had an affair with one of the founders' wives-" Tony and Anya looked at each other. They both had a feeling where this was going, "-and a child was born from that…"

"…so… you are here to tell me you are my brother?"

"Yes."

"I need a drink," Tony said immediately after that answer. "You guys want one?"

"No" they both answered at the same time.

"…well…that is unexpected…. of course finding out I was adopted was unexpected too….I guess that explains why you looked vaguely familiar to me, maybe I was subconsciously noting our similarities."

"The same thing occurred to me as well."

"Oh my god I am going to vomit. You guys are bonding over similar feelings." Tony loudly complained as he mixed his drink.

Anya turned her head to Tony and told him to keep his opinions and bodily fluids to himself.

"…so Phil… would you like to stay for lunch? Tony is making sandwiches."

"No, he has agenty work to do," Tony tried to answer for him.

"Actually I can't, thank you; I do have work I need to get back to. I only wanted to come to apologize and introduce myself."

"Okay…well… can I have your number? Do you have a number? Do agents have cell phones?"

"Yes we do, although they are kept off while on duty. I will send you a text so that you have it."

"How do you already have my number? Oh wait never mind. I forgot- intelligence organization."

"Yeah…well I will go. Thank you for agreeing to talk with me. I'll be in contact soon."

"Okay, bye Phil."

"Yeah bye Phil" Tony repeated in a mocking high-pitched voice.

"It's Agent Coulson to you, Stark," he said as he got onto the elevator.

The moment he left Tony began ranting, "Really?! You invite him to lunch? He is the one who ordered you to be hurt. He is dedicated, as in it's his middle name, to that company. And you just let him come in here, talk to you and invite him to lunch?! Come on have some self-preservation."

"Tony, are you done?"

"…"

"Good. Now stop it. Yes he works for them; although I doubt his middle name is dedication. He is still my brother. As are you. Sure, he led the team to bring me in. However, he did not give the order to bring me in. Nor did he tell me to run and fight. I did that. You, on the other hand, are the one who _forced_ me to go on a date with you and _ruined_ my reputation at work. So if you want to compare blame remember that."

"Really? You had to bring that up?"

"Yes – listen, please try to get along with him. For me. He is family as well. None of us asked our parents to have an affair with each other. Although, selfishly I am glad because otherwise I wouldn't be alive, nor would I have you as a brother."

"Aw how sweet."

"I mean it Tony."

Tony sighed, "I know, and I will try. And what it's worth, I am happy you're around."

"Awww you big softy." It was right at that moment that Anya's stomach decided to remind her it was time for lunch. Feeling embarrassed she asked, "…so about those sandwiches?"

**A/N: What do you think? So I love Phil. Agents of SHIELD has made me love him more. I actually decided on Phil before I started watching Agents of SHIELD. I figured the dynamics between him and Tony would be fun. **

**So I decided that if you review, besides having my love, I will email you a sneak preview of the next chapter. Warning, however, it will be unedited. I actually have up to chapter 18 written, but I only post once my beta edits them. Trust me when I say it's a good thing she does that. Oh so any guest reviewers this means you have to long in so I can message it to you. R&amp;R. Till next time. **


	12. Chapter 12: The Beginning

**A/N: So first off I own nothing other than my plot and OCs. So sorry for taking so long to post. My Beta has been busy. Thank you everyone who has reviewed, followed and favorited ! So guess what we have finally come full circle. Honestly, I did not plan it to take so many chapters, but I wanted to set everything up. Now there are parts from the Avenger movie that I won't write in. Just assume it went the exact same as it did in the movie. So if you don't see scenes imagine the movie. Enjoy **

**Chapter 12: The beginning**

The weeks had flown by, Anya realized as she stared out the window of her office. It had taken her feet a few weeks to fully heal; although, she went back to work after one.

Since then, however, Tony kept bugging her about her safety. He wanted to give her a security guard and a tracker. That turned into a very long fight. Thankfully Pepper had been there and had told him to back off. Ahh Pepper. Anya was still trying to figure out why she and Tony weren't together.

It helped Anya convince Tony that no security was needed when she showed him her improved skills with self-defense, courtesy of Natasha. They had been practicing twice a week. The woman could still beat her badly, but now she could hold her own for at least a few minutes. Although, they weren't having lessons anymore. Two weeks ago, Natasha told her she had orders to return to base; SHIELD had other assignments for her. She told Tony and Pepper who she was. That was fun. Anya enjoyed watching Tony freak out.

Anya felt like life was falling into place. The gossip at work had died off. She had been talking to Phil more. He had been on a case somewhere warm, that was all he would say, but he still managed to call or txt every day. Tony was right about him being dedicated, but she was enjoying getting to know her new brother.

She was also enjoying spending more time with Steve. The man had actually texted her when he hadn't seen her at the gym for two weeks. She told him that she had injured herself and was coming back soon. They had gone running together, as promised, not too long after. She was grateful for his friendship. He had an honest way about him. They were going running next week and she was going to tell him about being Stark's little sister. She wanted to tell him before she told everyone else.

Her lease was up in a few weeks. Her roommates had decided to split on her. So when Tony offered for the 20h time – he seemed to bring it up at least every week- for her to move in with him, she said yes. Free rent and time with her brother was not only logical but sounded enjoyable. They discussed it and were going to hold a press conference next week. After the announcement, Tony insisted that she have a body guard take her to work. At least, she reasoned, she wouldn't have to take the subway anymore. She was going to tell her boss today when he came back from a meeting at mid-town. So much for gossip going away, but then again she would now have to deal with it now that the world would know about her.

Anya, thinking about Tony, was a bit worried. She had been at dinner with him a few days ago , at the Tower, when Phil showed up. Yeah, that had been tense, she remembered.

**_** Flashback – 3 days ago***_**

"Mr. Stark, Agent Coulson of SHIELD is here to see you." Jarvis had informed them as they had just finished dinner and were discussing dessert and maybe a movie. That surprised Anya, she though he was still on a case.

"I'm not in," he said.

"Tony" she said to him in a warning tone.

"Sir, my protocol, once again, has been overwritten." Jarvis announced as the elevator opened. Tony looked aggravated. Of course this was the first time they had seen each other in almost 3 months since the SHIELD incident. When Anya saw Phil, she got up and greeted him. Instinctively, she gave him a brief hug, which he returned. That shut Tony up, but only for a second.

"Hey, you've never given me a hug." Tony whined.

Anya ignored him, and instead asked Phil, "What are you doing here? I thought you were on a case somewhere."

"I was and am. I need to talk to Stark. It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too."

"It is not good to see you," Tony added as he walked over.

Phil held out a laptop like folder to Tony, "We need you to look these over as soon as possible."

"I don't like being handed things."

"Well, I do," Anya said, taking the folder and then forcing it into Tony's hands.

"Official consulting hours are between 8 and 5 every other Thursday."

"This isn't a consultation."

"Is this about the Avengers incentive?" Anya asked, " Which I know nothing about." Well that was a lie. Tony enjoyed telling her SHIELD secrets.

"The Avengers incentive was scrapped, and I thought I didn't even qualify," he began, taking the folder over to a desk that was in the room. "Apparently I'm volatile, self-obsessed, don't play well with others."

"Now that I knew," Anya added.

"This isn't about personality profiles anymore." Phil said. Tony opened up the file electronically, causing several images – videos and papers- to appear on the holographic screen.

"Anya," he called her.

"Just a moment Phil," she told him as she walked over to her other brother.

"Wow, this looks serious. Phil looks shaken."

"How can you tell? And since when have you too been so close?"

"We've been talking since last time. Anyway that is not important. This," she said gesturing at the screen, "is. I'm going to go."

"But-"

"-nothing. You are needed. I'll see you later." She said and after hesitating, she gave him a brief hug. " There, see I hugged you."

"So Phil, how is Amy?"

"She decided to move to Portland," he told her as they got onto the elevator.

"That sucks! I know. I'll ask Tony to lend you his plane so you can visit her."

**_****End of Flashback**_**

So that had been three days ago and she hadn't heard from Tony since. She had called Pepper in DC this morning; Pepper told Anya she hadn't heard from him either but to try not to worry. Still Anya decided that if she didn't hear from him by the end of the day she was going to ask Jarvis to message him. Maybe she was being paranoid, but those videos didn't look good. Also, there was something on the internet about Iron Man being in Germany last night. Where ever he was, she hoped he was okay. She supposed the worry came with being related to him. Maybe Pepper would have some tips on how to handle it.

****** ATST on the Helicarrier*******

Tony Stark was not, by any definition, "alright". After Fury's "speech" about Coulson and about his 'good eye', Tony left the meeting room and had found himself in the hangar where Loki had been kept and where….where Coulson had been killed. Tony stared at the now closed trap door, his mind recalling everything up to that point.

After Anya left the tower, a few days ago, he stayed up doing the readings: learning about thermonuclear astrophysics. It was quite fascinating, actually. Since then he had been running on adrenaline and coffee. There had been the capture of Loki – the snakelike demigod-, a battle with Shakespeare or Thor as the man called himself, and now this. Loki had escaped. Banner and Thor where gone, the master assassins were out of commission – one was still with Loki and the other injured- and now this. Now Coulson was dead. How was he going to tell Anya?

He was thinking about this and Coulson when Capsicle came in. After a moment Captain asked, "Was he married?"

"No, but he has a sister and there was a cellist, I think."

"I'm sorry. He seemed like a good man."

"He was an idiot."

"Why? For believing?"

"For taking on Loki alone."

"He was doing his job."

Tony scoffed at that, "He was out of his league. He should have waited. He should have…"

"Sometimes there isn't a way out, Tony." Damn that man.

"Right, I've heard that before."

"Is this the first time you lost a solider?"

That question enraged Tony. "We are not soldiers... I'm not marching to Fury's firefight."

"Neither am I. He's got the same blood on his hands that Loki does. But right now we've got to put that behind us and get this done. Now Loki needs a power source. If we can put together a list-"

As the Captain was speaking Tony thought about what Loki had said the past day, his jabs at Banner, bringing up clean energy. It hit him "He made it personal" he said interrupting the Captain.

"That's not the point."

"That _is_ the point. That's Loki's point. He hit us all right where we live. Why?"

"To tear us apart," he answered as if it was obvious.

"Yeah, divide and conquer is great, but he knows he has to take us out to win, right? That's what he wants. He wants to beat us; he wants to be seen doing it. He wants an audience."

"Right. I caught his act in Stuttgart."

"Yeah, that's just previews. This is opening night. And Loki, he's a full-tilt diva, right? He wants flowers, he wants parades. He wants a monument built to the skies with his name plastered-" that's when it hit him - the warm light comment- the tower. " -Son of a bitch." He said as he rushed out of the room. He needed to get his suit fixed.

"Stark – slow down. What did you realize?" Captain yelled at him.

"He's going to use Stark Tower to jumpstart the cube. We need to get there asap."

"Okay, you fix your suit, I'll tell Fury and everyone else."

Tony waved a confirmation and headed to storage were his suit was. Good thing he thought to bring his emergency tool box/kit with him. He was half way through his repairs when it hit him. NYC – that's where Anya was.

*******AF******

Anya was focused on answering a pile of emails when she heard her co-workers start to discuss lunch. It was between Five Guys, Chipotle and some sandwich shop. She looked at the clock on the desktop and realized it was about that time.

"So, where we going?" she heard her Irish co-worker, Connor, ask the group. The guy had a good nature and was a bit of a daredevil.

"We don't know," answered John, the man she would describe as looking like a bear, mainly due to an extreme amount of facial and head hair, but who acted like a toddler.

"Just make a decision," demanded Mike, a semi-serious guy who had a mischievous air around him. Marcus, her office mate remained silent.

"Anya, ya coming?" Connor asked.

"Depends, where are you going?"

"That has yet to be decided?"

"How about the meatball shop?"

The boys looked at each other considering her opinion. "Sure"

"Okay, let's go then," she said locking her computer and grabbing her purse.

They were at the restaurant when Anya realized that while she had brought her wallet she had forgotten her phone. It was still sitting on her desk. A few months ago she swore to keep her phone with her at all times. This was the first time that she didn't have it on her. Oh well, she thought, it should be fine.

Unbeknownst to her, Tony was trying to call her at that moment. He left a message, but when she returned to her desk after lunch she forgot to check her phone. She simply left it where it was, sitting by her desk phone.

A little while later, Anya still at her desk, heard some sort of loud sound and felt the building shake. She and Marcus looked at each other in bewilderment. Seeing nothing out the window they rushed into their boss' office at the end of the hallway. The others were already in there and had turned on the TV. As she watched the horrors unfold, she had to remind herself to breathe. This can't be real – was the thought that kept repeating in her head. Aliens were coming down from some hole in the sky above the Stark building. Buildings were exploding; people were fleeing and falling to the ground.

Pushing the hair out of her face she wrapped her shaking arms around herself as if she could hold herself together. Her brother, she knew, was fighting out there. Then she remembered her boss was in that area at a meeting. Tearing her eyes away from the screen, she looked at her co-workers. Several of them lived not far from where this was happening. The devastation in her heart was reflected on their faces.

Swallowing the vomit threatening to rise in her throat, she realized she was now in charge. She was now in charge of the Disaster Response Unit at the largest charity in the U.S. Closing her eyes for a moment, she focused on pushing the self-doubt, fear, sorrow, anger and all other emotions down deep inside of her. She only allowed the feeling of urgency to remain. Having calmed herself she spoke to her co-workers who were still fixated on the TV.

" Everyone, we have work to do."

The team tore their eyes away from the screen and turned to her. Shock engraved on their faces. Mike was the first one to speak, "What are we going to do? It's a war zone!"

"You're right, it is, but it won't be for long. The fighting will eventually stop and we need to be prepared. People are going to be hurt. They will have lost housing and all their belongings."

"What about the boss?" Mike asked.

"He…he was supposed to be down there. Hopefully he will show up…if he doesn't we'll file a missing persons report and ask the hospitals to look out. Plus we can check for ourselves while working."

The boys seemed to consider her words and agreement echoed on their faces.

"So what's the plan?" Connor asked.

Thus they started. They began organizing transportation, water, food, medical supplies, emergency clean up-kits, and temporary housing. Calls were made to the CEO of their company, the head of OEM (office of emergency management), the Mayor's Office, and local hospitals. Coordination and organization was the only way to get this done.

They were not far into planning when Anya heard mention of Iron Man on the news.

"This just in," the reporter announced, "it seems Iron m=Man is carrying what looks to be some sort of bomb towards the opening in the sky."

Iron Man – Tony! Her phone! Dropping the pen she was holding she ran to her office where her phone was. She got to it just as it was ringing, Tony's name showing on the screen.

**A/N: So I know I am evil. Yes Loki wasn't directly in the chapter but he was mentioned. Anyway Loki's takeover is next chapter. Review and share your thoughts. **


	13. Chapter 13: Glorious Purpose

**A/N: Look I updated twice in a row. Feel joy. So I own nothing but my OCs and plot. Also I am going to put direct thoughts in chapter back jumps a bit so you can get Tony's point of view. **

** Chapter 13: Glorious Purpose. **

*******A little while earlier******

_Damn that woman for not answering her phone!_ Tony thought as he went back to fixing his suit. He just had to hope she would get his message. At least Pepper was in D.C. Not allowing himself any other distractions he focused on the work ahead of him. Time passed, how much he didn't know, but the Captain and Assassin #1 -Romanoff -found him.

"Stark, you ready?"

"Yep," he said putting down the tool. He looked at Romanoff. "Should you be coming? Weren't you just unconscious?" She had tried, according to Fury, to contain Barton – Assassin #2 – and almost had him until someone else came up from behind and knocked her unconscious. His mentioning it seemed to piss her off.

"I'm fine."

"Okay. Then let's go."

Tony suited up and followed them outside.

******A little while later *****

Things were not going well, Tony had to admit. He had tried to close the portal with his repulsors, but the result was only a wave of energy knocking him into the sky and killing Dr. Selvig; well technically the stone wall Selivg hit killed him. Assassin # 2 showed up after a while and was now guarding Loki and stopping anyone from coming close. At least Tony had been able to get the Mark 7 before he came. Thor and Banner had also shown up. They were all fighting, but the Chitauri kept coming. He had a huge number of them on his tail until he found out they couldn't bank worth a damn. Natasha and Captain were fighting a few streets away. Thor was trying to bottleneck the thing with lighting, but nothing was helping.

"Stark do you copy?" He heard Fury say through the communication device in his helmet.

"You have a bomb heading straight for you!"

"How long?"

"3 minutes max"

"Got it."

"We've got to close that portal!" Stark heard Captain say over the intercom.

"There's no way to close it. Dr. Selvig is dead and nothing is working!" Romanoff answered.

"Guys I have a nuke coming into the city, and I know just where to put it." Tony told them. He had just reached the nuke and was steering it straight for the portal.

"Stark, you know that maybe a one way trip right?"

"Save the rest for the tribute."

"Sir, shall I try Miss. Marvel" Jarvis asked Tony.

"Might as well"

The phone was ringing for a little bit. The Tower was right in front of him when he heard her voice.

"Tony!"

"Hey sis."

"Tony what's happening?"

"City's under attack by an alien, same old same old." The portal was in front of him. "Listen, I have to tell you. Phil is gone. I'm sorry." He heard an intake of breath on the other line.

"It..it's not your fault Tony. Just…just take care of yourself…" He was entering into the portal.

"I love you little bird." He said, letting the bomb go, heading straight for the enemy vessel. He could feel the power draining from his suit. The last thing he heard before he closed his eyes was, "… I love you too Tony."

********AF******

"Tony? Tony!" Anya screamed into the now dead phone line. One brother was…dead and the other_….No! Not now!_

"Anya get in here!" yelled John. She rushed into the office, phone still in hand, to find John pointing at the screen where everyone was looking. All the monsters had stopped moving; they fell crashing into buildings and people, but they looked dead. Then the camera focused on Iron Man, falling from the sky. A large green figure, the Hulk, grabbed him. The camera crew moved closer. It looked like Iron Man moved. Relief filled Anya. She couldn't lose another brother.

The moment of relief was quickly over and horror took its place. The army had surrounded Tony and the others. Guns were pointed at them. A man approached them. He had almost shoulder length black hair, and was wearing a ridiculously large helmet that looked like it was made of gold and had two horns facing up on both sides. He was wearing some sort of cape, tunic, and pants combo made of what she guessed was hard leather; it made him look like he was going to the renaissance fair. Directly behind the strange looking man was Agent Barton. He pointed an arrow towards the group.

The man seemed to speak with the group for a little bit. The camera was too far away from them to hear what they were saying. One minute they were talking the next moment chaos happened. Iron Man shot into the sky holding someone who looked like Natasha. The man she recognized as Thor flew out as well holding, carrying someone else. The Hulk tore off in another direction. All of course under gun fire. One minute they were there and the next they were gone.

After a moment, Agent Barton pointed at what Anya could only assume was the news camera and said something. The man with the scepter then walked towards the camera. The camera widened to show a very shaken news woman. He stopped a few feet from her.

"My name is Loki, of Asgard, and I am burdened with glorious purpose. I am here to make a world free of freedom. Your military recognizes me as their leader. Your leaders answer to me. You shall as well for I am your king." And with that he walked away.

"Oh shit, this just got more complicated." Anya said, causing her team all to give her a slightly startled look. "What? I cursed. A man from another planet just said he was now our king. I think I am allowed to curse." That caused her team to loosen up. It was time to work.

"Okay, well the violence has stopped so our work starts," she began, " I know several of you have family in the area. Call them on the road. Once things have gotten set up, if you need to check on them that is understandable. Just make sure you let someone know. So everyone grab an official T-shirt or vest or jacket. You all know what to do. Organize the goods and help coming in. Our warehouses are trucking over supplies as we speak. Take care of your sections and report in. The guys upstairs are getting us volunteers. I expect people from the community will try to pitch in. Just direct them. Everyone grab a radio, we're on channel 2. Check in every 30 minutes. Chain of command is Marcus, Mike and John report to Connor. Connor reports to me. I'll be reporting to our CEO and coordinating efforts with the other organizations. I will mainly be at our command tent that we have permission to set up in Times Square. Call me if you need me. I expect to see every one of your gorgeous faces at the command tent in 4 hours for a follow up meeting. Any questions?"

"Yeah, so when did you turn into a drill sergeant or is it your Russian side coming out?" John lightly joked. Anya just smiled and shook her head. The man was good for comic relief. He was also always teasing her about her name; she wasn't Russian but the name was.

"Okay let's go." At those words everyone started grabbing supplies, and made their way downstairs. Anya took one last look at her phone before doing the same. Her brother was alive. That was all she needed to know. Now it was time to work.

******* A few minutes earlier, TF********

Tony awoke to the feeling of terror. A loud sound echoed in his ears. He was on the ground, the other Avengers, minus Barton, surrounding him.

"What just happened?" He asked a bit panicked, "Please say no one kissed me."

"We won." Captain had just said when all a sudden the military surrounded them.

"I guess not," Tony said. "Help me up," he said to no one in particular. That was when they saw Loki, followed by Barton, coming towards him.

Captain quickly and quietly said, "When I give the signal Tony you grab Natasha. Thor I'll hitch a ride with you. Hulk you run for it. We can't fight these people. We'll have to retreat and re-group."

"Meet at my Malibu house."

Captain was about to say something when Loki approached.

"Well wasn't that fun?" he announced to the group. They all scowled in return. He continued, "You all fought hard, but now it is time for you to die."

"What did you do to these people?" Captain asked.

"I only showed them the truth. The same truth I have already shared with your- what was that word- president. The truth that freedom is a lie."

"Loki stop this." Thor demanded.

"No! I am the king here now and you shall no longer tell me what to do Odinson." He angrily replied to Thor.

"Now!" Captain yelled just as Loki yelled "Fire!" Tony wasted no time. He grabbed Natasha and took off.

**A/N: So in the movie Thor took Tony's Mask off and tossed it on the ground. I am going to ignore that and say it retracted on its own. So from here on out it gets interesting. The story will have POV from other characters. I wrote a section from Loki's perspective next chapter. Anyway feed your writer please. Reviews are life blood. **


	14. Chapter 14:You have got to be kidding me

**A/N: Hey everyone. First off, THANK YOU everyone who has chosen to follow my fan fiction. Secondly, my apologizes for taking a bit to post this. I am trying to post every week. I know it use to be twice a week, but life has gotten a bit busier for me and my Beta; so every week it shall be. As always, I own only my plot and OCs. Also, from here on a few chapters may be dedicated to a single day since the battle. I do this because you are going to get POVs (or what I call character focus) on various characters since everyone is scattered. Enjoy. **

** Chapter 14: You have got to be kidding me.**

** *** Right after the battle – SF ******

It was not comfortable, Steve felt, to be holding onto another man for dear life; especially when both men are wearing armor. The moment Loki yelled at Thor, Steve knew they had to get out of there. It was rather good timing, but not perfect. Sometime between him grabbing Thor and them flying out, he had been shot in the leg. Thor had been shot in the back. They flew north until they could no longer see the crowd. Thor landed them on a roof top.

"Where is it the man of metal asked us to go?' Thor asked.

"Yeah, that's the problem. I have no idea where his house is. I think Malibu is out west."

Thor sighed, "So we need to obtain directions and to tend our injuries."

"I would say yes, but in the opposite order."

"Where can we go for these things? I only know Lady Jane and SHIELD removed her from danger for me and sent her away."

"I have a friend in the city, but I need my phoneto call her, which is in my pants pocket on the Helicarrier…so that won't work. Well, my apartment is near here. Let's go there to get patched up while we think." Steve only hoped that Loki wouldn't think to send men there after them. They would only have a few hours at his place tops.

"That is a reasonable plan. Tell me how to get to your dwelling and we will fly."

"Are you going to be able to with your shoulder?"

"I have had worse injuries than this."

"Okay."

It took Thor and Steve only a few minutes to get to his apartment. Steve didn't have his keys with him so they had to break through the door. Surprisingly, no one heard anything. Setting the door back in the frame, he hoped none of his neighbors would notice and call the police.

A few hours later, Thor was resting on the couch, with the TV on, and Steve was washing the blood off his hands. He was thankful for the military training that taught him how to treat bullet wounds. He was also glad Thor could fit into his jeans and shirt. Both men had showered and changed in order to "blend in" better. Their armor was in a duffle bag with some food and other clothes. They were all set, except for the fact he didn't know where to go. He had tried to use the computer to find Stark's place, but...well... let's just say the computer was now resting on the floor in a few pieces. Normally Steve was very patient but not today. Curse Stark for assuming everyone would know where he lived. Steve wondered if Dr. Banner would know where to go as well.

Looking around his apartment he wondered if he would ever get to return. He was just getting into life here. The memories of his old life were still present, but they no longer haunted him. It was then that he saw the small note book on the kitchen table. The notebook where he put reminders to himself… maybe…Rushing over to it he started to flip through and sure enough there was the number.

"Thank God!'

"What have you found?'

"My friend's number. She can help us. Now we just need to get to a phone… my gym has a phone in the office. It is just a few blocks from here. Let's go."

******** A few hours before, right after Avengers split, AF******

Anya was in the van with Connor, on the way to Times Square, when her phone started to ring.

"This is Anya Marvel."

"Anya, it's Tony-"

"-Are you alright?!"

"Yes, but we have to get out of this city. We are going to my Malibu house. I want you to get a car and meet us there."

"First off, I don't have your address. Secondly, I can't – people need my help. You saw the damage. I work for the Disasters Response Unit. This is my job!"

"And you're my sister! If they find out about you –"

"-but no one knows! Remember! Listen, I'm sorry, but I can't. Besides, it will be good for you to have a contact inside the city."

"Damn it Anya!" She heard talking on the other side of the phone. "Romanoff says you have a point. I'll have Jarvis text you the address and how to get to my house. If something happens or you think anyone suspects you have to get out of there!"

"I will. Stay safe brother."

"Do the same." Anya hung up the phone and tried to hold back the tears.

"Who was that?" Connor asked.

Anya briefly panicked, but tried to play it cool, "My friend who is like a brother to me. He wants me to leave the city with him and his family."

"Alright…"

Anya was going to respond, but it was right at that moment they arrived at Times Square. OEM was already setting up tents for them. There was a central tent, the Command Tent, with a generator that would be her home for a while. There were separate tents for food, medicine, paperwork (to register those getting assistance/assess need), and a waiting area.

"I'll see you in a few hours Connor." She said with a false cheer to her co-worker/friend as she jumped out of the car before he drove away. Squaring her shoulders, she walked into the central tent.

A few hours later, almost nonstop phone and radio calls plus meetings, Anya was sitting down in the food tent drinking a cup of coffee. She was also hungry, but since her team would arrive in an hour she decided to wait for them. Hearing her phone ring she looked down at the number. If it was any sort of agency or work related thing she would call them back. She was giving herself 10 minutes to rest. It was either that or fall over. However, the number came up as unknown. Sighing, she answered it.

"Hello, this is Anya Marvel."

"Anya, it's Steve."

"Steve? What is it? Sorry to be abrupt, but I am in the middle of dealing with a disaster made by an angry god here." She tried not to sound agitated, but he had just disturbed her coffee time.

"I'm sorry Anya, but I need help and you're the only one I know."

"It's okay. Sorry to come across as well cross. What is it?"

"Can you come to the gym and bring a US map and some bandages with you?"

" Steve what is going on? Are you alright?"

"Well it's hard to explain. Please just say you'll come."

"Well your timing isn't terrible, so yeah I'll be there in 15 minutes, but I can't stay long."

"That's fine."

Hanging up, she let out a giant sigh. Gulping down the rest of the coffee, which thankfully wasn't scolding hot, she got up. She grabbed a few sandwiches and water bottles from the tent. She went to the medical tent and grabbed some large gauze, ointment, tape and scissors. One of the workers there gave her a plastic bag to put it in. At the command tent, after snagging a map, she announced she had to go into the field and would be reachable on cell phone. She should be back before the hour was up. One of her relief workers lent Anya her car to drive.

About 20 minutes later she pulled up to the gym. Parking on the street, she headed inside. The lights were on, but no one was inside; not that it surprised her. She would assume everyone who was exercising at the time of the incident went home.

"Steve?" she called out, feeling a bit nervous; nothing quite as creepy as an old empty gym.

"Back here!" she heard him yell. Moving to the back of the gym she found Steve standing next to a rather large blond man. The man was taller than Steve and seemed to have biceps as big as a child's head; well, that was probably an exaggeration, but still the guy was built to the point of making Steve look out of shape. They both looked exhausted.

"Steve who is this and what is going on?" she asked as she approached the guys.

"Anya…this is hard to explain…this," he said gesturing to the man behind him, "is Thor of Asgard-"

She held up a hand to stop him right there. "Thor of Asgard? As in the Asgard the same place as our new dictator came from?"

"Yes my lady," Thor spoke in an almost old English accent, "Loki is my brother. We have tried to put a stop to him but have failed."

"Wait a moment, 'we' tried to stop him. As in you and Steve?"

"As in all the Avengers." Steve answered for Thor.

"Steve?"

"I'm afraid I have not been completely honest with you Ma'am. My name is Steve Rogers and I am Captain America." It almost sounded like he had practiced saying that in front of a mirror. Knowing Steve, well as much as Anya thought she knew him, she wouldn't be surprised it that was true.

"You have got to be kidding me?" was Anya's automatic response.

"Why would he jest?" Thor asked.

This was almost too much, Anya felt. Feeling weak, she moved and sat on the bench that was against the wall behind the two men.

"Are you okay?" Steve asked. She nodded.

"Here," she said handing him the bag. " There is food, water and medical supplies, plus the map."

"Thank you kind lady." Thor told her.

"It's Anya and you're welcome. Where are you going by the way?"

"We are going to regroup. There are too many innocent soldiers, brainwashed by Loki, for us to attack outright. So we had to leave." Steve told her, bitterness coloring his words. "That is actually why I called you," he continued. "Tony Stark – Iron Man – told us to meet at his home in Malibu, but we don't know where it is. You are the only person I know in the city. Can you help us?"

Anya had to laugh. Of course they would go to Tony's house – her brother's house, and he had just sent her directions and tried to get her to go not hours before. She stopped laughing when she saw both men's faces covered in concern. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry it's just too much."

"Are you alright, lady?" Thor's comment almost made her laugh again, well that and their faces. They thought she had cracked. Truth be told she kind of had.

"Considering the circumstances I am. I 'm sorry. I wasn't laughing at you or your request. Well, kind of at your request. The thing is, Steve, I haven't been completely honest with you as well."

"What do you mean?" he asked. He seemed to square his shoulders; as if to prepare himself for whatever she was going to say.

"Well, do you remember, a few months ago, when I told you I was forced to go on a date with a rich man because of my work?"

"Yes"

"That man was Tony Stark." Surprise filled his face, but it changed into anger. Steve started to say something, but she held up her hand again, "Let me finish." He sighed and nodded. "Tony was, well, confused as to why I left the date so early. So he ended up having his computer do a background-check on me-" Steve's face seemed to be getting darker as she continued. Thor just looked confused. "- and that was when …well…it's when he found out we were related." Dun dun dunnnnn, she almost said after that last sentence. The look on his face was priceless.

"What?... Related? How related?"

"Let me say, first off, that I didn't even know I was adopted before this happened. But, yeah, Tony Stark is my half-brother."

Both men seemed surprised; although, Anya wondered if she had broken Steve.

"Half-brother?" Steve managed to choke out.

"Yeah, his mother had an affair with a SHIELD employee and gave birth to me."

"You know about SHIELD?"

"Um, recall, also a few months ago, when I didn't come to the gym for two weeks?" Steve nodded. "That was because I got hurt trying to run from SHIELD and kind of foughtAgent Barton."

"You did what?!"

"They showed up at my door and demanded that I come with them. Then Barton appeared out of nowhere _in_ my apartment. What would you expect me to do? I went out the window and tried to escape barefoot." Her voice, she noticed, had become louder and slightly higher pitched when she answered him. Both men looked at her with what she could only describe as awe.

Steve sighed, "So you are half-sister to Tony Stark and know about SHIELD. Am I missing anything else?"

"Well, I have another half-brother, whom you might have met – Agent Coulson." She said, her voice sounding strange to her ears. The blood drained from both of their faces.

"You are sister to the Man of Iron and Son of Coul?" Thor asked.

"If by Son of Coul you mean Phil Coulson, then yes."

Steve sat down beside her on the bench. "Anya I don't know how to tell you this - "

"- I already know that he's gone." She said interrupting Steve. She swallowed, trying to bury the tears in her throat.

"How?"

"Tony called me when he was putting the nuke through the hole in the sky. He told me that before he said goodbye."

After a moment Thor spoke, "the Man of Iron is fine."

She gave him a light smile, "I know. I saw him move on the news. Also, he called me not long after you guys split up to ask me to go to his house in Malibu- which is why I laughed. He sent me directions to his place, which I can give to you. If I had been thinking straight I wouldn't have even asked where you guys were going and I would have just offered them to you."

Not wasting time, she pulled the map out of the bag and a pen out of her pocket. She circled the location and wrote specific directions on the back. Standing up, she handed it to Steve.

She took a second to look at her phone. No one had called, but it was fifteen till, "Well I have to go back."

"Won't you come with us? As Tony's sister you are in danger here," Steve asked her.

"No. I won't go. I am in charge of the recovery efforts here. I have to stay. Besides, as I told Tony, no one knows we are related. Also it will help you guys to have a contact on the inside of the city."

"You are brave, Lady Anya" Thor told her.

"Thank you, Thor, but I am just doing my job."

"Okay, but stay safe." Steve added.

"I will. Oh and try to keep an eye on my idiot brother will you? Take care of yourselves as well. I have a feeling we will need all of you before this is over."

"I'll try, and Anya, will you do me a favor?" Steve asked her.

"Sure, what is it?"

"Keep an eye out for Dr. Bruce Banner."

Anya was confused, "Who?"

"He is the Hulk." Anya took a moment to think. She recalled the news cast of the battle. She had recognized everyone there… then it hit her… the green creature. Eyes slightly widening, she tried to play it cool, "Okay."

"Thank you – for everything,"

Smiling warmly at her friend, she nodded before waving goodbye to both men. She hurried back to her car – or rather the car that was lent to her. She made it back to command just in time to meet her team. It was on her way back, however, that she realized something had changed. Looking up at Stark Tower, she realized the blue beam of light, that had been there shooting up into the sky above the building, was gone. She hoped that was a good sign.

*****ATST - Loki Focused *****

He would master the Tesseract, Loki told himself staring at the cube. It would give him ultimate power to rule over this pathetic land. After telling the Midgardians he was their ruler, by using the device Agent Barton pointed out to him, he had returned to the Tower. It was fitting, he decided, to take it as his –a trophy of sorts. At least, until something better could be built. It had taken him a few hours to devise a way to close the portal. If that weak Midgardian doctor had lived, it would not have taken him as long. The Chitauri were weak as well; all of them dying when their ship had been damaged proved that. He had been wise not to rely on their aid. Agent Barton had proved most useful in explaining the system of rule in this country. It was through him that Loki learned that the land's leader was called the President of America and he found all the country's warriors or what they called military leaders; all of whom, he showed truth to with his scepter. He would establish his rule in this land before moving on to the others.

"Sir," Agent Barton said to Loki, who was currently using his magic to transport the Tesseract inside the building; its magic was too great and burned anyone who touched it physically.

"What is it?" Loki asked after he sat the Tesseract down on a table that was on the same floor as the balcony.

"The Avengers have escaped."

"Then you shall have to find them. Although, I wonder how you could lose the giant green beast."

"Banner must have transformed and hidden himself, but we will find them, sir," Barton replied but continued to stand there.

"What else?" Loki asked weary. The magic to remove the Tesseract, and the earlier battle. had drained him. He was ready to rest before continuing working to unlock the Tesseract's mysteries.

"It seems some people have begun to organize in the city."

That caught Loki's attention. "Organize as in they mean to resist my rule? That is foolish of them."

"Not to resist, sir. It looks as if they are assisting those injured in the battle."

"Helping the weak? How pathetic. What is the point? The weak only die."

"What are your orders?"

"Find their leader and bring him to me."

"Yes sir."

**A/N: Mwahahaha. We know who the leader is. This will be fun. I also have to say I am slightly concerned I had so much fun writing Loki. I guess my evil dictator side is showing. Let me know what you think about how I portrayed Loki. I find many fanfiction writers make him ...softer...for the lack of a better term. Personally, I agree with Banner in that his head is a bag full of cats. Well, cats, anger, self-pity and hurt. **

**If you like the story, then please review and share. Writers need a little TLC too. **


	15. Chapter 15: Respect

**A/N: THANK YOU everyone who is following and Maryyea for reviewing. I apologize for the delay. Sadly, I own nothing but my OCs and plot. **

**Chapter 15: Respect**

****** Same day as Battle of NYC, a little while later, AF ******

"Okay that sums it all up. Anyone have anything else to report or ask?" Anya addressed her co-workers. They had been in a meeting for about an hour - comparing notes and figuring out what still needed to be done - at the back of the cafeteria tent; it was the only space available to them. After a moment of silence she continued, "Make sure you guys keep eating and drinking water during this whole thing. I don't want anyone collapsing. Watch your volunteers as well. No one should work more than 3 hours without a small break. I know there is a lot to do, but we have to take care of ourselves or we will do no one any good. The Marriott, just around the corner, has agreed to house our staff and volunteers. I want each of you to turn in for at least a few hours of sleep. Also a shower won't go amiss."

"You trying to say something Anya?" Mike asked lightly.

"Maybe" she said teasingly. "But in all seriousness, take care of yourselves. This relief effort is going to last a while. We are in it for the long haul and can't break down because we were trying to sprint."

"Aye Aye, Mon Capitane" John teased.

"Any word on the boss?" Matt asked, instantly changing the mood.

"No, I told the hospitals and workers to keep an eye out for him…"

She was about to dismiss them on that very sobering note, when they heard shouting outside followed by a few gun shots. They all got up and rushed to the front of the tent. Outside was Agent Barton, holding one of the OEM volunteers, a skinny young kid, up off the ground by his shirt collar. Fanning out around him were several men with guns. They looked to be a mix of military and mercenaries.

"Tell me," she heard Barton demand, "Who is in charge here?"

"Why do you want to know?!" she heard the brave volunteer ask. Scoffing Barton threw him to the ground and pulled out his gun pointing it at the man.

"STOP!" she yelled moving forward. The moment she yelled it all the men turned their guns at her. That slowed her down. Holding her hands up, she continued to move forward slowly.

"Let him go. I am the one you are looking for."

"You? You're just a young girl." Barton challenged.

"My name is Anya Marvel. I am in charge of Helping Hand's Disaster Response Unit. I am in charge of this operation." When she was a few yards away she stopped moving. Barton put his gun in his hostler and moved towards her.

"You're the girl SHIELD had me follow and bring in."

"Yes" she confirmed. As he got nearer she could tell his eyes looked different.

"Fine, come with us." The other men with Barton instantly surrounded her. She could hear her team start to protest. She turned slightly and looked back at them.

"Boys, you all have work to do. Connor, you're in charge while I'm gone." She was going to say more, but was cut off by one of the muscle men pushing her towards a car that was waiting there.

Once she was inside the car anxiety began building, which Anya tried not to show. She tried not to think about the guns that were still pointed at her. She tried not to wonder if she was going to get out of this alive. She tried not to think about how much it would hurt Tony if she died. She tried, but failed on all three accounts.

The car ride was brief and they arrived at Stark Tower in a matter of moments. After she was shoved out the car door, the rest of the burly men stayed in the lobby while Barton led her to the elevator. She hoped this man didn't know about Jarvis. If he did, she was dead. They hadn't come looking for her specifically, just whoever was in charge. That gave her hope.

The elevator ride was brief. They stepped out onto the 18th floor. Looking around, she saw things were a mess. A screen of the window was completely gone. Glass was covering part of the floor. Barton pushed her forward into the room and half-way threw her onto the couch that was to the left of the elevator on the wall facing the balcony. She saw the man from the TV, Loki, their new dictator, standing outside on it.

"Stay here." Barton ordered before walking outside. She watched him say something to the man standing there. The dictator was still wearing the same outfit as before, minus the helmet, with the scepter still in hand. He looked over at her before talking to Agent Barton some more. After what was probably only a few minutes, but seemed like a life time, he came inside and walked towards her; Barton stayed a few feet behind him.

The moment he started to head inside Anya sat up straight and tried to control her breathing. She had to stop herself from fixing her hair or clothes. It wasn't that she wanted to 'look nice' per se in front of this man, but she didn't want to appear weak. She was a leader and had to act like one. That is why, despite his severe eye contact, she refused to look away. When he was a few yards away she stood up, casually folded her hands in front of her and waited for him to act first.

"Agent Barton has informed me that you claim to be the leader of the people below." His voice was cold and harsh but held an almost amused tone to it.

"Yes, I am the head of the relief operations."

"What is your purpose?"

At that question her fear became anger. It colored her answer back to him, "A few hours ago your monsters destroyed a small part of Manhattan. You have killed, injured and displaced hundreds of people. We are trying to help them. So in other words I am cleaning up your mess."

Anger flashed in his eyes. Yeah, Anya realized at that moment, she probably shouldn't have added that last bit. In a second he was only inches from her. His hand wrapped lightly around her throat.

"You ought not say such things Midgardian." The ice in his words and his eyes froze her anger. After a second, he released her and she fell onto the couch behind her; her hand automatically grasping her own throat, trying to bring warmth back to it.

"Now that is a proper response to a god – fear." She didn't think him a god, but did not want to argue with the man who seemed fine with killing her. After a second he asked,

"Why are you helping the weak?"

It took her a moment to gather her voice and figure out an answer, "I would reason, it is because it is in my nature, as it is in all human nature. We can be cruel and capable of great evil, but we can also be kind and capable of great goodness. I see someone suffering and I want to help."

"That is foolish. Only the strong can survive. You assisting the weak is simply prolonging the inevitable."

"The inevitable?" she began, the anger coming back, "We are all weak at some point in our lives. And yes death is inevitable, but it is for all – weak and strong alike. Besides, who are you to measure what strength is? Most of the people injured were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"That I would call fate and the weak are the weak because they do not survive."

"Well I do not agree."

The man sat on the couch across from her. "What an interesting creature you are." That pissed her off. It made her sound like a pet.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Why was SHIELD interested in you?"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't lie." He commanded. "Agent Barton informed me that SHIELD had you followed and brought in. He doesn't know the reason because they never informed him as it was above his rank. So tell me – why."

Fear coursed through her. She could not tell him the real reason, but she had to say something thing he would believe. "My brother."

"What?"

"I found out I was adopted and started to do some digging to find out who my real parents were. That's when I found SHIELD. It turns out my brother works for SHIELD."

"Who is your brother?"

"Agent Coulson." The name, she could tell, meant nothing to Loki. That angered her. He had killed her brother, but he didn't even remember him. She had to work hard not to let it show; after all, there would be no reason she should know he was dead yet.

"Sir," Agent Barton interrupted, "She may not be telling the whole truth. When I tailed her, she went into Stark Tower. She also used the same gym as Captain America."

Loki's facial expression told her he demanded an answer.

"Stark Enterprises donates to my organization. I went there for business, but also because a friend works there. As for Captain America – until just now I wasn't aware he went to my gym." She replied calmly.

There was silence for a while as he seemed to consider her answer. After a few moments she decided she had enough, "I have answered your questions. Now tell me – why have you brought me here?"

"You shall demand nothing. I owe you no explanation. I am your King, and if I summon you shall come."

"Well 'king', I have work to do. So tell me, is that all your majesty requires?" She was expecting him to get angry with her. She wouldn't have been surprised if he killed her for that outburst. What she did not expect was for him to laugh.

"Not many dare to speak to me that way," he said lightly before his voice turned serious, "You should remember to whom you speak. Still, I shall answer you. I ordered the leader of the people to be brought here with the intent to find out if that person was threat and to kill him if he was."

"Do you find that I am a threat?" she asked trying to keep a light tone and the fear out of her voice. Her throat felt so dry right then.

"How could a little girl be a threat?" She felt both relieved and annoyed by the answer. It also made her that much more determined to assist the Avengers in any way that she could.

"Then may I go and continue my work?"

"Why should I allow you to help those I care nothing about?"

"Besides goodwill? Because it is logical."

"How so?"

"Consider what it takes to rule. Most people argue that fear rules, which I would assume you agree with. I would argue that respect is the better method. While fear is temporarily effective it encourages rebellion. Respect encourages devotion, although its weakness is it takes time to develop. You already have the people's fear. Now give them a reason to respect you. Let my workers continue to help others. Go on TV and say you are the one allowing it or funding it. Show people you are benevolent and they will follow." In truth she doubted anyone would find him caring after all the destruction he did, but it was a good argument all the same.

He seemed to consider her argument, but was not convinced. So she added, "Besides what do you have to lose? If it is, as you said, inevitable for the weak to die, then those we assist, if they are weak, will still die. It will only be my time wasted, not yours."

"You are clever for a mortal. Very well, I will allow your work to continue. Let people know it is from King Loki, of Asgard, who provides for them. Barton will provide you with anything you need." She was shocked. It worked.

"Thank you." She said sincerely.

"Know this, mortal, everything has a cost. For this you owe me a debt." And back to dread and fear. The swings between her emotions were giving her emotional whiplash. She was probably going to take a while to recover.

"Very well." She replied solemnly.

"You may go." As soon as he said that she quickly got up and headed towards the elevator.

******* ATST - LF******

The girl quickly went to the elevator as soon as he dismissed her. She seemed to want to flee from his presence the moment he started speaking to her. Not that he blamed her. It was only fitting. She was a weak mortal and he was a god. Of course she would want to flee. What was surprising was the way she spoke to him. It reminded him of the man of metal, Stark. He was sure she was hiding something. What had his incompetent oaf of a brother called him once – the god of lies. Well one could not lie to a god of lies.

"Agent Barton" he said to the man after he came back up from escorting the girl out.

"Yes, sir."

"Have someone follow her."

"Sir, that may not work."

"Enlighten me."

"Last time I followed her, she knew it. I would suggest talking to someone close to her."

"Cunning, I like it. Proceed with the plan." Nodding he dismissed the man. It was time to go visit the president. They had business to discuss.

**A/N: Feed me please – review, follow, favorite. **


	16. Chapter 16: Benevolent King

**A/N: Hi everyone. UnCTRLblyExcite thank you for the review! So is everyone ready for a little Banner time? Also just as I changed Tony's age to 35 (Anya is 25), I am changing Bruce's age to 30. Why? Well mainly for Anya and cause I wanted to. Recall I own nothing but the OCs and plot. **

**Chapter 16:** **Benevolent King.**

** ****Still same day after Battle of NYC*******

Anya waited till she was a block away from Stark Tower before losing it. She fell against a wall and sat on the ground. Tears silently fell down her face as she tried to get control of her emotions. She could still feel his hand against her throat. She could see the anger in his eyes. His announcement, that he would demand something from her, echoed in her head. He terrified her, but he also angered her. It was apparent that he had no value for human life. He cared nothing for the people he now claimed to rule. The only "good" thing about him was that he was logical. That was her only hope for her people and herself.

Ha! Her people! She laughed at herself. Since when did humanity or at least all of America come to be her responsibility? Probably since she found out she was related to Iron Man; although, if she was honest with herself, she had always felt responsible for others. Maybe, it was what made her "that guy."

Anya, after a few moments, got up and started walking back towards the CT (command tent). Figures, an angry god takes over, summons her and provides her no transportation back. There was no way the subway was running so walking it was. Not that 14 streets was a long walk. It was getting dark out, the day finally ending, but it didn't matter. This was NYC after all. Lights were everywhere, just like pigeons and people. The streets, she noticed, weren't quite as crowded. Rescue workers were still trying to search through rubble at a few locations, but most of the damages to buildings had been superficial.

The larger problem was the dead aliens lying everywhere; and they were everywhere. The fire department was working nonstop to gather and burn the bodies. She just hoped no diseases were spread from the disgusting greenish grey creatures. Of course the people had been cleared out and the workers were in protective gear. The larger question was the giant turtle whale creatures that had fallen on top of a few buildings and were covering some of the streets. Well, Loki did say Agent Barton was to give her anything she needed. She would call them tomorrow.

Most people were off the streets, leaving a spooky quiet over the area. That changed, though as she neared the CT. The closer she got to the CT the more people she saw, heard, and felt staring and whispering. There were lot of people around the tents, working or receiving assistance, but she could see people pointing out of the corner of her eyes. She was almost at the CT when everyone burst out of the tent and came to a stop when they saw her. It was almost amusing. It was as if they were seeing a miracle. Of course, considering how close she came to death she wasn't surprised. She stopped a few feet from the group and smiled at them.

"Why hello."

"Anya – you're alive." Connor said with astonishment, stepping towards her.

"Yes I believe I am."

She had just said the words when he surprised her by giving her a hug, saying "We thought he would kill ya."

Awkwardly she patted him on the back. "I think you are violating HR policies, but thank you. And yes, I thought the same." At that he laughed and let go.

"Sorry, I'm just happy I don't have to be in charge anymore."

"What are you complaining about? I was only gone for like an hour."

"It was a long hour."

"You have no idea."

"Ms. Marvel-" the OEM Lead interrupted, "-what did they want?"

"That, we need to discuss inside. Gather your team leaders. What I have to say will affect this whole operation. An operation -"she spoke louder so people around could hear, "- that as of this moment is happening thanks to our benevolent new king – Loki of Asgard." She hoped she kept the sarcasm out of her voice when she said the last part. She had no doubt he would send someone to follow her, and she didn't want to have that person report back that she was mocking him.

** **** ATST in the middle of a field in the Midwest- TF*****

"Natasha, do not take this the wrong way, but we need to take off some clothes." Natasha, currently covered in dirt, bruises and alien blood, glared at him.

"Stark, you just crashed us in a field in the middle of nowhere and you want me to strip? You have thirty seconds to explain before I break you."

"Well that's terrifying. Okay we crashed because my suit is damaged and I need to fix it. I am saying we need to strip, so that we can lasso our clothes together and I can then drag the suit to somewhere with electricity and tools." Tony took a few steps back hoping she wouldn't hit him. He wasn't in the suit anymore and he had no doubt she could do some serious damage.

Romanoff just glared at him before throwing her hands up and taking off her jacket. She had, unfortunately in Tony's opinion, a tank top underneath.

"Stop staring, Stark."

"Will do," He said quickly looking away and taking off his own outer T-shirt. That provided enough fabric for him to make a rope of sorts; he wrapped it over one shoulder and under the arm of the opposite side of the suit. He tried not to make sound effects while lifting it off the ground.

"You okay? You're a little red in the face."

"Well, this is a giant titanium alloy suit. So it's a bit heavy. Thanks for the concern."

"Anytime - what are you doing?" She asked as Tony had grabbed the suit and started walking.

"I'm headed west."

"We should head back East. We flew over a small town not too long ago.

"That might take hours and it would head us in the opposite direction of where we need to go. Ergo, it would be counter-productive."

"Going backwards is sometimes necessary to move forward."

"Not in my book." That comment initiated a staring contest in which Stark refused to lose…but the woman was scary.

"How about this," he thought quickly, "I head west and you head east. Whoever gets to a town first gets a car and drives it to the other. With bragging rights of course."

"And what are you going to do if a hostile comes at you? Throw pieces of your suit at them? Besides I lost my com in the battle and your suit, which is your com, is broken."

"I may not have the suit, but I know how to fight. Also like I said, we will just meet up in the next town. " Tony noticed she didn't seem satisfied with that answer. " How about this, we put a 48 hr deadline on this. If we don't find each other by then, then we meet up in Malibu. You know where my house is."

"Fine." Stark had to suppress the glee at winning the argument. "Just don't die or get permanently injured."

"Aw, Romanoff I didn't know you cared."

"I don't, your sister, however, does care, and I do not want to have to tell her that you were killed because I left your ass."

"Yeah, that would be terrifying," he said in complete seriousness. He didn't know Anya well, but he had a feeling she could be frightening if she wanted to be. As they parted Tony couldn't help but start whistling "Highway to Hell." This would be a long trip without music… well and anything electronic.

***** NF******

Natasha gladly walked in the opposite direction as Stark. The man was like a toddler and she wasn't good with children. At least now that her cover was gone; she no longer had to listen and play the good assistant. Now she could do her job; although, her job was part of the problem now. She wanted to stay in NYC: to get Barton. But, she knew that her responsibility was to the Avengers and stopping Loki. That meant retreating, regrouping and planning.

The infuriating part was that she almost had him. She was about to knock his thick head into a rail when someone came out of nowhere and rendered her unconscious. She should have paid more attention to her surroundings. He was probably going to give her hell about that later. She was going to get him back. They would beat Loki, and go back to normal work. Whatever the hell that was.

Determination coursing through her, Natasha started to jog. She would find a town quickly and rub it in Stark's face.

*****ATST in Iowa- BF*** **

Bruce groaned as he woke up. His body hurt, but he was warm oddly enough. The last clear memory he had was transforming into the Other Guy when Tony brought that flying alien monster towards him and the others. The warm part was confusing. If he had transformed he should be naked. So why was he warm? Opening his eyes, he had to wait a moment for them to adjust to the dim lighting so that he could see. He was in a barn, on a hay stack with a black and white Mexican blanket covering him. Who had covered him? More importantly where was he? There was a rather large hole in the wall, which he guessed the Other Guy had come through. Opposite from the hole was a door. Time to go meet his hosts, he reasoned.

After wrapping the blanket around himself, he headed out the barn doors and towards the classic farm house – white paint and blue shutters with a wraparound porch and a wooden deck chair, from which, he imagined, the household watched the corn grown. He just hoped that he wouldn't be met with a shotgun in the face. He knocked on the door and waited. A petite white woman, who had black but graying hair and green eyes, answered the door. The smile on her face faded when she took note of him. Not that he blamed her. He was naked, wrapped in their blanket.

Bruce spoke when the woman continued to stare at him after a few moments, " Hi…I'm sorry, but do you have some clothes I could have."

"Oh sweet Jesus – Jim!" she turned her head and called out behind her, "he's awake." Turning back to him she smiled awkwardly, "Please come in and we'll get you some clothes."

"… thank you…thank you also for the blanket…" he told her while entering in the house. She led him down a hallway to what he could see was a kitchen.

"You're welcome. We very well couldn't leave you exposed out there. We would have brought you in the house but-"

"-but we were afraid you'd turn into the giant green thing again." The man sitting at the table finished her sentence. The man had grey hair, tan skin, and bright blue eyes. The guy put down his newspaper and stared at him, "Are you an alien?"

"…uh no."

"Then son you have a condition."

"Yeah, I apologize to the damage to your barn. I can pay for that….I didn't hurt anyone did I?"

"Well, that would be helpful. And no, you only scared the chickens. I'm Jim by the way. Jim Marvel and this is my wife Lydia."

"My name is Bruce."

"Please have a seat Bruce. Jim will get you some of his clothes. Water?"

**A/N: If you don't remember who Jim and Lydia Marvel are go back and look at chapter 5 and 6. Also I know that it would be impossible for the Hulk to end up all the way out in Iowa from NYC in half a day (about 9/10 hours - the fight started around noon ended in an hour and he woke up in Iowa after dark so let's say it was 9 or 10pm); it's a 16 hour car drive. Still I wanted to connect everyone and I already placed Anya's parents in Iowa. So we are just going to say the Hulk decided to run really really fast for a long time. Deal with it. **

**So if I get a few reviews I will put the next chapter up sooner. Sharing is caring and I would love to hear your opinions. **


	17. Chapter 17: Good Doggy

A/N: Thank you everyone who has favorite and followed! Thank you UnCTRLblyExcite (I enjoy their bickering as well) , momma2112 (Thank you and I will!) and IrishArcher (thanks! I wanted it to be connected somehow) for reviewing! It is because of your reviews, and my wonderful Beta who gave me this chapter faster than normal, that I am updating now! As always, I own only my OCs and Plot. Enjoy!

**Chapter 17: Good doggy. **

***** Night after NYC Battle somewhere in the Midwest - TF******

What he wouldn't give, Tony thought, for some water and blueberries. Scratch that; make it a Scotch over water. Water would help his body, but the Scotch would be better for his mind. Tony had been walking for hours. Even though it was dark, he didn't stop to rest. His mind was still going thousands of miles per hour, thinking over everything that had happened and what still needed to be done.

He was determined to find a town. He would get the communications in his suit fixed first, and call Anya and Pepper. Then he would fix the suit- his baby – and get Romanoff; so that they could go and meet up with the others. To distract himself, he started considering what repairs needed to be made and how to make them with the most basic tools. It kept his mind busy. Well, busy enough.

He realized, quite soberly, that all that was left to him was hope. He hoped he would find a town. He hoped he could get the tools he needed. He hoped Anya was still safe. He hoped Pepper had listened to him and gone into hiding; he had left a voice message on her phone after he had called Anya. He hoped all of that, but he couldn't be sure. There was nothing at that moment, besides walking, that he could do. It was not a pleasant realization for him. He forced his mind back on the situation at hand. He wondered how Romanoff was doing.

At that moment, despite the darkness, he saw something beautiful up ahead - a house. It had a detached garage. It was on the small side, but it was better than nothing. He felt instant relief. Time to get to work, he told himself. Hopefully, no one was at home. He doubted they would take kindly to a stranger showing up in the middle of the night.

Tony walked towards the garage door. He set down the suit and tried to open the door. It was at that moment that he heard a sound. Turning around quickly, he found a rather large Rottweiler growling at him.

"Good doggy"

****** ATST NF*****

After jogging for an hour, Natasha found a gravel road. She had been following it ever since. She was walking at the moment when she saw lights in the distance moving towards her - a car. Crossing to the other side of the road, she walked in the opposite direction, in the same direction the car was going. When it was closer, she turned around, acted relieved, and tried to flag it down. It was a pick-up truck. A bit rusty and it looked like junk, but it was moving. Good thing it was an older man driving, beard and all; it meant that she was more likely to get a lift. The man, of course, pulled over.

"Hi darling, need a ride?"

"Yes please," she said in a country girl accent while getting in the car.

"Where ya heading so late?" He asked as he started driving down the road. He was mainly looking at the road but glanced her way. He looked overheated despite it being a cool night.

"Just over to the next town."

"Well that would have been a long walk in the dark. It's an hour drive from here. Walking would have taken you a while. Why are you walking in the dark?" Natasha was aggravated by the questioning man. She considered knocking him unconscious and stealing the car, but alerting the authorities was the last thing they needed. No she would play the role and steal a car later. Also there was something off about him.

"The truth? I'm running away from my boyfriend. I have family in the next town."

"I was wondering where you got those cuts and bruises from. Dirty bastard to hit a woman. Good job for leaving him." Natasha could tell that the man believed what he said, but still…

"…Thanks…I appreciate the lift." She wasn't sure getting in the car was the best choice, but she was a master assassin and was sure she could handle an old man if he were to try anything.

"No problem. Go ahead and rest for a bit. I'll wake you up when we get there."

"Thank you," she said, leaning back and closing her eyes. There was no way she was actually going to sleep, but a naïve girl running from an abusive relationship might. So it was time to act. The man turned on country music. That horrible sound, Natasha decided, would help her stay awake.

****** ATST one town over -TF******

Tony was just trying to break into a garage. It was for the good of all of mankind; yet, here he was being stopped by a very large dog. It was then he remembered why he didn't like dogs. It was still growling and now moving towards him. He considered his options. The suit was broken so that meant he couldn't use any of his weapons. Even if he could get the door behind him open fast enough, he wouldn't be able to pull the suit with him, and there was no way he was leaving it outside.

Then he saw a movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head slightly, he came face to face with a shotgun. "Down Derral," said a gruff voice. He supposed the man was talking to the dog as the animal backed up. The person slowly walked around Tony, gun still in his face, until he was in front of him.

"Who are you and what is that," he said kicking the suit. Tony suppressed the urge to cry out.

"My name is Tony Stark and that is my suit." Tony hoped the moment he said his name the guy would lower his gun, but that didn't happen. "… maybe you have heard of me? Iron Man?" Still nothing. The guy must live under a rock.

"Did you know, I would be within my rights to shoot you for trespassing and trying to break into my garage?"

"Uh no… listen I didn't mean to bother you, but I just need somewhere I can repair my suit and a few tools to do the job. Your house was simply the first I saw. I wasn't going to take anything."

"Son, I don't know where you are from, but out here we don't just break into people's houses because we need something. You earn it or you ask for it."

"…so could I borrow some space in your garage and some tools?"

"…"

"…I can pay you later for the trouble."

"I don't care about money. I just don't trust you."

"…is there a way I can fix that?"

The man slowly lowered the gun. "Perhaps, that question helped." The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. It took a few moments for Tony to realize the guy was waiting for him to move to get to the door behind him. Unlocking it, he gestured Tony to go in first, before following. Tony was happy when the dog stayed outside. The man flipped a switch and light flooded the small garage. A covered car took up most of the space, but there was a work bench against the far wall with tools hanging up.

"You can use the tools, but if you damage my car there will be hell to pay."

"I won't"

The man grunted and walked away. Tony went outside and pulled his suit inside. After assessing the tools, he went to work.

****** ATST -NF******

They hadn't been driving for long when Natasha realized she was actually getting tired. Something was wrong. She had to fight to open her eyes. The air smelled wrong. Natasha mentally formed a plan: break the window, for clean air, knock the man unconscious, and take the truck. Or, at the very least she would throw herself out of the truck and vanish in the night. Yet she couldn't do it. Not for a lack of will, but because her body wouldn't move. It took all her effort to roll her head and look at the man who did this. He was sitting straighter and something changed. He looked younger and….evil.

"Ha! I have to say I am impressed Agent Romanoff or should I say Black Widow. You pulled the abused girl story well; although your clothing didn't match up. I can't believe you are still awake and able to move your head! Most people are out within a minute of inhaling the fumes. In case you were wondering why I'm fine, it's because I have the antidote." Natasha wanted to make a smart ass reply about how she didn't care and he resembled a baboon's ass, but as she couldn't speak she just glared. She also wondered if he had the antidote on him and how to get it if he did.

"I had half-heartedly hoped you would recognize me and this would fail, but it seems SHIELD doesn't share the whole truth about its organization." As much as she hated his voice, at least she was getting intel now. It made her wonder, was it in a handbook somewhere for villains to share everything the moment their victims are incapacitated? It happened every time. Fury always gave her credit of being a great interrogator, but in reality these guys just loved to talk.

He continued, "Did you ever notice that the only older people in SHIELD are the lab rats? Have you ever seen a field specialist above the age of 50? You won't because they force us to retire. They give some crap assed speech about how we have done our share for the greater good. In reality, they fear us as a liability because we age. They give us a gag order and a bit of land and expect us to adjust. Die young or wither on a farm in the middle of nowhere. Those are our choices. I can see it in your eyes, you don't believe me. You think you're special, well you're not. You are beautiful now. At the top of your game, but you will deteriorate…"

Men with personal vendettas, Natasha found, were the easiest, but most aggravating to deal with; easiest, because they are overcome with emotion, but aggravating because they are the most persistent bastards ever. Worse, they feel the need to justify everything. So he would probably be talking for a while.

"…Then there will be nothing. After so many years, I have nothing. So, when Agent Barton contacted me with the promise of action and revenge I naturally agreed. We actually didn't know, by the way, where you guys would show up. He just put a bunch of us on alert. Oh and don't worry about your friends. They will be found soon enough. They are already planning to announce that you are dangerous criminals. Soon there will be no where you can run to." Natasha didn't know how much longer she could listen to this fool talk. She tried to move her fingers and once again met with no success. She wondered how long before he started telling "back in my day" stories.

A/N: Now you can wait in agony to find out what will happen to Natasha. Mwahaha. Sorry my evil side is coming out. Review and follow! I could use some encouragement as I am a bit stuck right now. Don't worry I am about 10 chapters ahead so no fears, you will have updates. If anyone has anything they would like to see review and I will see what I can do.


	18. Announcement

Hey everyone,

I'm sorry I don't have a chapter for you. Don't hurt me, I'm frail. I have an excuse - I am waiting on my beta - and a peace offering - a one-shot. A reviewer, CausticCottonballs, asked if there would be any 'back in my day' stories as referenced in the last chapter. So I went ahead and wrote one based on CC's suggestion - how Fury lost his eye. The reason, by the way, I made it as I did was in complete refernce to Monty Python and the Holy Grail. So while waiting for the next chapter enjoy my one-shot.

Love you all! Thank you for following, reviewing and favoriting my story!


	19. Chapter 18: Press Conference

**A/N:** Hey everyone, First off, I own nothing but my OCs and plot. Secondly, I am sorry for the delay in updating. My beta is studying for a medical licensing exam, and I just moved. Goodbye NYC. Yes that is right I lived in NYC. That, by the way, is why I moved the location of Stark Tower. Also the places I mention are real. If you are thinking of visiting NYC, message me and I am happy to give tips on where to go and what to do in NYC. I miss it so much. Thirdly, thank you reviewers! UnCTRLblyExcite: First off, love your name. Secondly, yes we are all done for if retired SHIELD agents decided to turn and thank you! Guest: Thank you so much! I am happy you kept reading! I love throwing in twists. It is a goal to throw you guys off the trail every time.

Now enjoy my friends. **P.S. Read the end A/N it has housecleaning information in it.**

**Chapter 18: Press conference**

** **** Days since the Battle (DSB): 1- in Washington, DC - AF******

Anya had to sleep. She needed desperately to sleep. Yet her stupid mind refused to cooperate. So rather than sink into blissful unconsciousness, Anya was lying in bed looking at the rather dull hotel ceiling. Her mind wanted to reflect over the day, but she refused to think about it. She didn't want to think about Loki…about Steve…about the attack… about Tony almost dying…about Phil…

No, she couldn't go there. There would be a time later to grieve, but not now. She shouldn't even know he was gone. No, rather she would concentrate on NYC – on relief and recovery work. Tomorrow she has a press conference announcing Loki's generosity. Agent Barton contacted her only hours before and told her that Loki demanded she make it after the president spoke tomorrow. She was going to speak after the president. That was why she was currently at a hotel in Washington DC rather than back in NYC at her apartment. At least the call gave her the chance to ask/demand that Loki use the military to clean up the alien monsters. Agent Barton said he would do what he could. Better than nothing she supposed. It did help her pretend that giving the speech was a direct trade rather than caving into the dictator's demands.

Anya was nervous, but it wasn't speaking on national TV that troubled her; well that was kind of a lie. She was nervous about that. Still, what bothered her most was that the moment she made that speech people would assume she was on his side. That she supported him. She would be labeled a traitor. At least everyone who headed up recovery efforts and her friends knew, but everyone else…She can't help what others think. She has a duty and she has to carry it out. Still, this was definitely one of those moments when she wished her boss was here. Then he would be doing this. She hoped he was okay.

Rolling on her side, she glanced at the clock. It was 3am. Anya watched the clock change from three to four to five. When it hit five she stopped the pretense and began to prepare herself for the day.

*******A few hours later in Iowa- BF******

Bruce felt grateful and very lucky. After the Marvels had given him clothes last night they invited him to stay the night; something, he found amazing. He had broken their barn; they had seen him as the Other Guy and met him naked. Yet they let him stay after he explained that he wasn't sure where he was or where he needed to go. Apparently, he was in Iowa.

Over dinner last night he had asked if they knew about NYC. He found out his team had scattered and Loki proclaimed himself king. He didn't know where they would have gone or why the Other Guy headed out west. It would make sense for them to retreat; they wouldn't have wanted to fight all those men being controlled by Loki – for the innocent men's sake, not theirs. During the night, he tried to think of where they would go. He remembered Stark mentioning once, when they were in the lab, that he had a house in California. That was probably the best place to start. Unfortunately, the Marvels had no internet so he couldn't check anything. Seriously who didn't have internet nowadays?

The next morning Jim offered to drive him to a nearby town with a bus station. They were about to leave when Lydia called from the living room, "Jim you need to see this." There was panic in her voice. Both men made eye contact before rushing into the room. The President of America was on TV.

"It's on every channel," she said while demonstrating. She stopped flipping the channels when he began to speak.

"My fellow Americans, I have been given the honor of serving you and this country for the past three years. There have been hard and difficult times, but we have persevered. Now change has come - glorious change. I feel extremely blessed that it is my administration who is here for the transition that is occurring; a transition that will bring about a better nation and a better world.

I know that many of you are scared. Many of you are worried. I understand, change is hard, but it is necessary. A year ago, with the arrival of Thor, of Asgard, we learned we were not alone in this universe. Many, however, still doubted because of the isolation of the event which occurred in New Mexico. Now, however, after the events of yesterday, there can be no doubt.

We are no longer alone nor are we ready for this change. We could not stop the monsters that came, but thankfully a hero came. He defended us. He stopped the aliens and defeated the terrorist group called the Avengers. All of whom – Tony Stark alias Iron Man, Natasha Romanoff alias the Black Widow, Steve Rogers alias Captain America, and Dr. Bruce Banner alias the Hulk - are now wanted criminals." Bruce froze. Pictures of each of them came up as the President said their names. He had been a criminal before, but never known to all the public. He tried to pay attention as the President continued.

"He saved us, though he is not from this world. His knowledge and truth are impossible to describe. He will lead us from these dark days into one of light. His name is Loki of Asgard, and he is now our King. I want to encourage every one of you to continue on with your daily lives. Do so, however, with the knowledge and encouragement that change is coming; change that is for the good of all mankind." At that the media went ballistic calling out questions.

Bruce looked over at the Marvels. Shock filled their faces as he was sure it did his. Loki had done it. He must have somehow used mind control on the President, just like Agent Barton and Dr. Selvig. Anger rippled through him. He was saying he was the hero. That he saved NYC. Yet he was the one who brought the monsters!

"Bruce? You okay son?" Jim called to him worried. He then remembered where he was. He couldn't harm these people. He closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. After a moment he looked at Jim.

"I am now. Sorry."

"It's okay. It's shocking. And don't worry we won't turn you in. We saw the footage. We saw you guys fighting those aliens. I don't know why the President thinks he can do this. No way will the country allow it."

Bruce felt a bit relieved. "He has the backing of our country's leaders and military."

"Yeah well, I'd like to see them try and make Texas obey. Hell, I bet they secede from the country. Iowa will put up a fight-" he was about to say more when Lydia interrupted,

"-Jim our daughter is on the news."

"What?!"

Bruce looked at the TV again. A young woman wearing a nice green shirt and black blazer with dress pants was on the news. She had dark hair and blue eyes, yet she didn't really look like the Marvels besides that. They had told him last night that their daughter was in NYC. She had called them yesterday to say she was safe but busy. Apparently she worked for a not-for-profit organization.

"Good morning, many of you do not know me. My name is Anya Marvel and I am the head of Helping Hand's Disaster Relief Unit. As some of you are aware my organization, in-coordination with New York City's Office of Emergency Management, the Mayor's Fund, and several other local agencies and businesses, have already begun relief efforts in the city.

These relief, and eventually recovery, efforts shall continue thanks to our new King Loki, of Asgard, who is funding the operation and providing governmental support of the efforts. Those wishing to assist in recovery efforts may call the number being displayed at the bottom of your screen and/or go to our website also displayed below. This is a difficult time for our nation, but as in the past, we will persevere and come out stronger than before. Consider the analogy of the phoenix: a legendary bird that rises out of its own ashes. So too shall we rise.

Before I go, I want to thank all who have and will support the relief and recovery efforts in New York City. More importantly, I want to thank the generosity of our new King Loki and his administration for their support. I will not be taking questions." After she said that the screen flickered and went back to a sports game. Lydia switched through the channels but only regular programming was on.

"Baby girl what are you saying?" Jim asked the TV.

Lydia walked over to him and put her arms around his waist. "It's going to be okay. She probably has a reason."

"I've got to call her," he said reaching for the phone.

"Wait Jim, she just got out of a press conference. Wait and let her call us."

"Fine, but who knows when she will call us." He sat down on the couch looking defeated. They both did.

"She's your daughter," Bruce spoke, "I'm sure she'll call. She did just yesterday after all."

"Well, our daughter isn't on the best terms with us." Jim told him.

Lydia continued after sitting down next to Jim, "She found out a few months ago she was adopted. We…we never told her. Yesterday was only the third time she has spoken to us since then."

"Oh," was all Bruce could say.

"Yep… hey do you mind if we put off taking you to the bus till tomorrow? I want to be here if she calls."

"That is completely fine. I can just walk anyways-" Bruce started to say when Lydia interrupted.

"- No, don't be silly. Wait till Jim takes you. It's a long walk to the next town."

"Then I appreciate you letting me stay…I'm going to step outside for a moment." He could sense they needed to be alone.

Stepping outside, he felt aggravated by the peacefulness surrounding him. The world was falling apart, but one couldn't tell by looking at this place. He took some deep breaths and tried to let the scenery soothe him. He sat in the wooden deck chair and decided to wait for a while. They needed time alone. He had just settled down when he heard the phone ring. After a few minutes, he heard Lydia call him.

"Yes?" he asked as he entered the living room. Jim was still on the phone with Lydia standing by him.

"Just a second Anya," Jim said into the phone before looking at Bruce, " Bruce, what is your last name?"

"…Banner. My name is Dr. Bruce Banner."

"Anya, it is him…okay. Bruce, my daughter needs to talk to you." He said holding out the phone.

****ATST in NYC Times Square – Connor Focused *****

After the press conference ended, everyone quickly dispersed from the command tent and returned to their work. Since Anya was in DC, Connor was temporarily in charge. He hated every moment of it. He would rather be doing something other than just answering phones or questions. How Anya put up with it, he did not know. They still hadn't found their boss. The general guess was he either hit his head and lost his memory or was unconscious in a hospital. No one wanted to think the worst. Still until the boss came back, Anya was in charge and he was second.

Feeling frustrated to no end, he got up and went for a walk. No wonder why Anya checked on the sites so often. It was an excuse to get out of that bloody tent. Maybe he could get some free time to go biking, after she came back of course.

Things were progressing nicely in the various areas. There was still debris, but most of the damage done was external and only a few buildings collapsed. This meant that there were only a few sites where work crews had to check for people buried in rubble. The military was about as well, taking care of the aliens. Anya had called, before the press conference, to say they might come. A military officer came into the command tent a bit after the press conference announcing their work briefly before leaving. He was glad it was getting done. Walking around he had to admit they were making quick work of the mess.

Connor just checked in on Marcus and John, both men were doing well. He had arrived at Mike's site, near the Sony Tower, but he couldn't find the guy. He was pulling out his radio, when he saw Mike by a building a street down. He was about to call to him, but Mike turned into a side alley. That was odd, he noted, and shady looking. Connor wondered what was going on. He looked into the alley way, after he arrived, but no one was there. Walking into it, he saw that the alley intersected with another street. He was about to turn into it, when he heard a deep voice. Instinct told him to stay hidden. Flattening himself against the wall he slowly peered around the corner. Mike was there talking to someone dressed in a combat outfit.

"I told you. I don't know. I am not that close to her." Mike spoke.

"I thought you wanted more," the man's voice was dark and sounded annoyed.

"I do! I should be in charge not some brat with no experience."

"If you want our help then you have to provide information."

This was not good. Connor had no doubt that Mike was talking about Anya. Time to go, he decided. Turning away from the side alley, he was half-running to the street, trying not to make noise, when someone appeared in front of him. The man was wearing a military uniform and holding a gun.

Connor skidded to a stop and slowly held his hands up, "I don't want any trouble." There were footsteps behind him.

"Connor?" he heard Mike's voice behind him. Looking over his shoulder he saw Mike and the other guy.

"Mike….are these friends of yours?"

"Yeah, kind of. What are you doing here?"

"Trying to find you. I saw you duck in here, but this guy pulled a gun on me before I could look."

The man with the gun cocked it and told him, "Don't lie. Sir, he was running away from your location."

"Who is this?" the man in the alley way asked Mike.

"Connor Malark, second in command of Helping Hands Disaster Response Unit."

"Ah, well Mr. Malark it seems that your services are going to be required."

"My services? I'm not a hooker."

"Very funny. We need you to watch Anya Marvel closely and report back to us."

"And who are you?"

"Consider us the new secret service for our new King."

"There is no way in hell I will help you." He said, using that moment to charge the man with the gun. He heard the gun fire and felt pain in his shoulder. Still, he continued forward; those years in rugby helped him in that moment. He was able to right punch the guy blocking the alley before he shot off another round. He felt a fist go into his gut and his body being slammed into the brick wall. He heard a sickening crunch and felt heat explode from the back of his head. He sank down onto the ground. He could feel himself losing consciousness. The last thing he heard was Mike asking them to stop.

**A/N:I know I am evil to leave it there. Anyway I actually have the next chapter ready to go. For each review I will post it a day earlier. Yes I am trying to bribe you all. I hope it works. A bit of housecleaning also. With my beta being busy i may not post every week. To make it up, I am going to write one shots that go along with the story. So every week you will have something. I would love ideas. As CaucasianCottanballs found out, I will use your ideas if you review and send me them. **

**Random note: Go see Lucy and Guardians of the Galaxy. Lucy was odd but good. I'd give it a 3 star. GOTG was epic: great humor, music, special effects, character development, and awesome acting. I cried, I laughed and clapped. **


	20. Chapter 19: Direction

**A/N: Thank you everyone who is following and favorited my story! It's an encouragement! As always, I own nothing but my OCs and plot. Thank you everyone who has reviewed; and rather than updating on Tuesday everyone gets a chapter earlier because of the wonderful people who reviewed; as promised. Lizeyli and 1248: Thank you! Animated Innovation: Thank you for noticing my talent of bribery! I am glad you liked the buildup to the battle. I worried I was taking too long, but you can't rush character development. Same thing goes with plot. Thank for your kind and encouraging words! They made my day!**

**Now enjoy lovely people.**

**Chapter 19:Direction**

** ****DSB (Days Since Battle):1 – somewhere in the west- Thor Focused ******

Time was running together. Only the fading and rising light separated it for Thor. The battle, which had ended long ago, still echoed in his mind. It had been well fought, until the end. He was not pleased about leaving. Still, he understood the reason why. It was not right to hurt so many innocents who were caught up in the cruel war made by his brother; _Adopted_ brother, he reminded himself. He felt the Loki he knew- the Loki who was playing pranks on the guards, always studying, and favored by Mother - was truly gone. His brother, Thor hardened his heart, was dead. He needed to act accordingly to save this world.

So while he did not like it, he grabbed the American Captain and left. Right after the battle, they had stopped to heal and gather their bearings. The young woman related to Man of Iron and Son of Coul was a large help. She, he reflected, was very brave. Still, he wondered if it was wise to leave her there. At least he did not have to worry about Jane. He missed her dearly and wanted to see her. The whole time he had been on Asgard, preparing to deal with the chaos Loki had left, his heart was not complete. He still found it a bit odd that someone so fragile could mean so much to him. He knew that he could not focus on her though. She was safe. Only the Son of Coul and the Man of Anger knew where she was.

They were currently resting somewhere in the desert. No one or thing was around but dirt. It was similar to the place where he had first arrived and met Jane. Thor had wanted to continue heading west, but when the light had faded and the American Captain suggested a stop; he was glad to take it. It made sense to stop anyways. Thor did not know the stars here, and therefore could not navigate. So they needed the light to learn the directions and for the American Captain to find landmarks to guide them. So they stopped, consumed some food that the Lady Anya had given them earlier, and rested.

The light had barley risen when Thor suggested they leave. "Let us be off, American Captain. We still have a distance to go and I am anxious to reunite with our friends."

The American Captain nodded. Standing up, duffel bag in hand, he said, "Let's go." He walked over to Thor and put his left arm around Thor's shoulders. "By the way Thor, you can call me Steve."

"Alright Steve." Thor said while putting his right arm around the Americ–Steve's waist. Then he pointed Mjolnir upward and they shot off into the sky.

***** Mid afternoon on the east coast- AF*******

Anya sighed as she leaned her head back against the leather headrest. She was currently on a plane going back to NYC. The press conference had gone well enough. Other than finding out that Loki had declared himself a hero and put a man hunt out on the Avengers. That wasn't good. She wondered if they knew. She wouldn't be surprised if only Dr. Banner knew.

To think that Dr. Banner was at her parents', well adoptive parents', house was a shock. Anya was glad her family was able to help him. When she was walking out of the gym, which seemed ages ago, Steve had asked her to keep an eye out for Dr. Bruce Banner, aka the Hulk. She promised, but doubted she would be of any help. Turns out she was wrong. Now if only Tony would answer his phone. She tried calling him last night, to tell him about Steve, but had no luck. It went right to voice mail. She tried again in the morning and several times since the press conference. She tried to not to fear the worse.

Anya sighed again and sat up in her seat. Pushing the attendant button, she waited for the flight attendant to come by. She asked him for coffee. For a second she let herself enjoy being on a private plane. She had flown numerous times before, but always in coach. This was an upgrade. Of course she had never been friends with superheroes, run a unit before, been "invited" to talk with a god/king, or asked to address the nation after the President. This was going to be a whole new world of firsts she imagined.

After receiving her coffee, she opened up her laptop and started going through her emails. She had a few hundred. Everyone, it seemed, felt the need to cc her in all emails. She was going to have to hire someone to sort through her mail. For the moment, however, she would just have to do it herself. Ahhh an email from Connor, saying the military was removing the alien bodies. Nice to know she didn't turn traitor for nothing. Everyone has a price, she reflected to herself.

** ***** ATST NYC -LF******

Things were progressing well, Loki decided as his new pawn left and the elevator door closed. He had chosen to conquer Earth because of his brother's love for it. Now, he was actually enjoying ruling here. Not for the planet's so called "beauty"; no, nothing could hold a card to Asgard. Rather he enjoyed the people's panic. Chaos was so easy to create and rippled widely. He could feel it and relished it. The main problem left was those pesky Avengers. Only Thor could potentially cause a problem – the rest were merely pests. Still, Thor was an idiot and it would not be hard to beat him.

Barton had informed Loki that one of his contacts had found the woman in the group. The others could not be too far. Loki was determined to kill them off. He had been right, he decided, to blame the Avengers for the damage to the city. Originally, he was going to rule on fear alone, but that mortal woman – as much as it pained him to admit, not that he would admit it out loud- had a point. These humans craved subjugation, but they wanted to be cared for. They were like dogs in that way. Soon everyone would exclaim him as the hero and the misfit fools as villains.

Staring over the City, Loki decided he needed something to pass the time. He had been studying the Tesseract, but he needed a break. He was used to studying – through books and artifacts- for hours on end and he knew his limit. Furthermore, he could not rush into the next phase of his plan yet. Not that rushing for Loki was a problem. He was a strategist. He had patience, unlike Odinson. Going on a whim, he created a magical replica of himself. It could speak to others, appeared solid, and would act as he directed it. In other words, it was his duplicate minus the solidness. Casting himself invisible, he left the tower.

****** ATST in Iowa, BF *****

"I honestly can't thank you enough," Bruce told Jim Marvel, as he shook the man's hand. They were at a bus station. Jim had not only driven Bruce an hour to town, but he bought Bruce a ticket to California. The only bus heading out was going to San Francisco. From there he would be on his own, but at least he would be in the same state.

"It's the least I can do. You helped stop those aliens. And besides, my girl told me to do whatever I could to help you, and I can't let her down."

"Well I am thankful to her as well." The bus driver called out that it was time to go.

Grabbing his duffle, also courtesy of the Marvels, he said a final goodbye. " I'll pay you back somehow."

"There is nothing I need." Jim's eyes grew serious, "…although if you can, protect my girl."

Looking him in the eye, Bruce nodded his head. "I promise," he told Jim, before turning and getting on the bus. He was determined to keep that promise. He felt connected to the Marvels. They had helped him when most others wouldn't have. He had expected a gun in the face not clothes and a bus ticket.

After settling in his seat, he pulled the hood of his borrowed hoodie up and put on sunglasses. He was a wanted man and needed to keep his face covered. It almost felt like the old days. Good thing he knew how to operate off the grid. He wondered, though how the others were doing with it. Tony was not one for subtlety.

**A/N: And it's all getting set up. I can't wait to get you guys to the next few chapters. Note, get use to the term DSB (Days Since Battle); I will be using it from now on. Also don't forget to review and give me ideas for one-shots; although, please feel free just to review with opinions or questions. I will probably post a one-shot on Tuesday or Wednesday if my Beta doesn't give me a new chapter; so look out for it.** Thank you all for your support!


	21. Chapter 20: Spit Blood

**A/N: I own nothing but my OCs and story line *tear*. **

**So I went on a family vacation for a week - no computer or internet. It was awesome but hard. On the positive side I took journal and wrote two one-shots for the story. They will be up soon. One going to be about Anya and the week after she was injured by SHIELD. The other is the lunch where she meets Pepper, Rhody, Happy and Natalie for the first time. **

**Thank you everyone who has been following, favorited and/or reviewed (Hannathetimelord: Thank you! I hoped this would be an origional story. And yes keep reading for the end showdown it will be big. Although you have a while to go. UnCTRLblyExcite: this chapter should answer your questions and thanks!)!**

**I don't know if you guys/girls know this, but allows authors to see what country their readers are logging in from, which is epic btw. So shout out everyone in my top 5 countries(in order) : US, UK,Chile, Australia and Estonia. Also thank you for the one reader in Germany and China, two readers in Denmark, Sweeden, Singapore! It is really cool to know something I have written is being read by people all over the globe. I love you all. Now enjoy; oh and p.s. remember DSB means Days Since Battle.**

* * *

**Chapter 20: Spit blood**

** **** DSB: 2 (early morning) – somewhere in the Midwest TF *****

Tony realized it was good thing he was 1) used to working under pressure and 2) used to going for long periods without sleep. If he wasn't then he would probably be finding himself at the end of a bottle. Not that he would have a bottle; unfortunately for him, the gun-toting farmer - while letting Tony use the garage and tools as well as giving him food - refused to give him alcohol; even when he promised to pay the man back. Sure he knew now was not the time to drink, but then again America had just fallen to an alien and he had no contact with anyone. So maybe it was a good time for a drink. He had just spent the past day and night getting the helmet working. He should be able to contact Jarvis in just one moment… there!

"Jarvis you there?"

"Yes, sir, and might I say that it is good to hear your voice."

"Good to have you with me, J."

"Sir, I need to inform you that-"

"-Hold that thought Jarvis. First, are Anya and Pepper alright?"

"Based on internet and phone reports, yes both are alive. Ms. Potts has left four voice messages in the past two days. Ms. Marvel has left three voice messages and called a total of nine times in the past two days."

Tony felt instant relief. They were alive. "Jarvis, ring Anya."

"Yes, sir"

The phone rang for a few moments before she answered.

"Tony! Oh my god, I have been so worried. Are you alright?!"

"Ah you care for your brother after all?" He teased lightly.

"Shut up. Of course I care. You're family. Where are you? Are you injured? Why-"

"- Hold on firecracker. I am in….Jarvis where am I?"

"Sir, you are in Seymour, Indiana."

"Thanks J. So Anya there you have it. I'm in Seymour. I am not injured. My suit was damaged though; I'm working on it now."

"Are you somewhere safe and hidden?"

Tony noticed the urgency in her tone. "Ish. I'm in some guy's garage. He let me use it."

"Tony, listen carefully, yesterday the President proclaimed Loki as our new leader and the hero of New York. Loki is blaming everything on the Avengers. Your names and faces were put on the TV. You are all wanted criminals."

Tony was only slightly surprised, but not by much. He was after all a genius, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that would be Loki's play – legitimize his actions and come after them. "Well… at least now everyone got to see how beautiful I am."

"Tony," Anya said sharply.

"I'm just kidding. I'll be careful. I just need to get this fixed and I will leave. Well I have to find Red and then I'll leave."

"Red as in Natasha?"

"Yep"

"Why isn't she with you?"

"We got into an argument over the best direction to walk after we crashed. I went west and she went east. Don't worry I'll find her. Then we'll meet the team."

"You have to be kidding me. How old are you two? Also do you realize how dumb it was to assume that everyone knew where your house was in Malibu?"

"…"

"Yeah, I didn't think so. Lucky for you I sent everyone on their way." Tony noticed a bit of smugness in her tone with that last bit of information.

"You did? How did you talk with them? You've never met them."

"Well about that…"

"Anya."

"Do you recall the guy I mentioned from my gym? The one I jog with?"

"Yeah.."

"I never told you his name."

"I have a feeling I don't want to know."

"It's Steve Rogers."

Tony smacked his hand to his forehead, "My little sister has been crushing on the human popsicle."

"I have not been crushing. I simply told you he was hot."

"I'm going to be sick."

"Anyway, I gave him and Thor directions to your place. They should be there by now. As for Dr. Banner, he ended up at my adoptive parent's place."

"What?!"

"Yeah the Hulk must have followed you west, but he must have lost you at some point because he is in Iowa. Don't worry, I found out when I called my parents and gave him directions. My folks put him on a bus. So it'll take him a while to get there."

"That is way too many coincidences."

"Don't I know it? I feel almost like it's all been written out…Anyway, I have to get back to work and so do you. Try and at least text me every once in a while so I know you are safe. "

"Aww you're worried. So cute."

"Tony"

"Just kidding. Lighten up. I will….take care birdy."

"Really? Birdy? How old are you?"

"Don't protest your nickname."

"Bye Tony. Take care." Anya told Tony before hanging up. Once the line dropped Jarvis offered a suggestion, "Sir, shall I call Ms. Potts now?"

"Yes J" It was time to check on the other important person in his life. Not that he would admit it. She did turn him down after all, but still… a good CEO was hard to come by nowaday, right? Well that is what Tony told himself.

* * *

*****ATST Tony's House in Malibu – SF *****

Yesterday evening, Steve and Thor had found Tony's house, which seemed like a mansion to Steve, although Thor described it as a village hut. To be on the safe side they flew most of the way, but landed a distance away, of course with no crowds around, and walked the rest of the way. They were currently on a hill looking at the house. Steve was thankful he had thought to bring binoculars.

"I still don't see them."

"What is the reason for this?" Thor seemed to wondered aloud.

"Maybe we are just the first to arrive and the others were delayed."

Thor nodded in agreement, "That is logical. What is the plan?"

"I don't know. Wait I guess."

"Loki has control of your army and has expelled us from the city. I do not like waiting."

"Neither do I, but we are a team and to beat Loki we need to be a team."

Thor seemed to agree, and so they settled on the ground and waited. While waiting, Steve couldn't help but think about the past two days. Things were going well. He was starting to be content about where he was in life. He had the gym. He had Anya. God, to think she was related to that arrogant bastard Stark. That was when it clicked. Anya was related to Stark. She might know what happened to him. He was about to tell Thor his idea when the man spoke.

"Steve, while I concur with waiting, I find we will need to leave and then return."

"Why?" Steve was just about to suggest that they leave to find a phone, but he was curious if Thor had better idea.

"I have just flown for a vast distance and we had a battle not long ago. I need sustenance to recover from these feats. The gifts of food that Lady Anya gave us were not enough."

"You're hungry?" Right as Steve said that a monstrous rumble came from Thor. "Was that your stomach?" When Steve asked, Thor's face seemed to become slightly pinker.

"Yes."

Steve smiled, "That is fine. I was going to suggest we leave anyway. If we can find a phone, I can call Anya. Maybe she will know what has kept Stark and the others."

"Ahh that is right Lady Anya is related to the Man of Iron. We will find a phone and food, before returning."

"Sounds like a plan…"

**(A/N: remember that Steve and Thor are wearing normal clothes. They changed at Steve's apartment and put everything in a duffel – minus Mjolnir.) **

* * *

******ATST in NYC – NF******

Sometime during the ex-SHIELD agent's rant/life story Natasha drifted asleep. Cold water jolted her awake. Jumping slightly she instantly took stock of everything around her. She was tied tightly to a metal chair that was bolted to the ground. She guessed, based on the lack of natural light and sounds, that she was underground. Looking around she saw cars, random machinery, a work table…it looked familiar…that is when it hit her - she was in Stark's lab. Shit. And there was Clint, setting down a bucket. Oh and who was behind him, but Loki of course. Natasha realized, at that moment that she was probably going to die. It wasn't a huge thing for her. Her life revolved around death. The issue for her was it was going to be at the hands of her partner. Although, if anyone had a right to take her life it would be him; he was the one who gave it to her all those years ago.

Natasha stopped thinking about that and paid attention to the present. Loki was walking towards her, "My, my, my. How the mighty had fallen. It seems you have failed to wipe away the red in your ledger my dear and now it is time to be judged. First, however, I need you to tell me where the others are."

"Others? What others?" she asked coyly. That answer earned her a slap across the face.

"Tell me where your team mates are." Loki's voice grew calm.

Natasha just glared at him.

"Fine. Agent Barton, get her to talk." Loki ordered before walking out of the room and into the elevator.

"Well Nat," Clint started, "I would say this will be painless, but it won't. I would say this will be short, but it won't. I would say I won't enjoy this, but I will."

"I wish I would have bashed your skull into the railing. You are so lucky one of your little soldiers came to save you." In response to her words, Clint brought his fist hard against her face. Spitting blood on him she simply smiled.

* * *

*****A few hours later in NYC – AF*****

Anya couldn't help but keep a small smile on her face so far that day. Tony was okay. Sure he had woken her up that morning, but whatever, it was a small detail. Besides, that's what coffee was for. She was on her 3rd cup. Yesterday had been a long day. She had arrived back in NYC early afternoon. After a very long meeting with Connor, to catch up on what had happened since she left, she was in the CT answering phones and dealing with issues. Housing for victims and volunteers was one such issue; the local hotels weren't willing to house them for more than another day or two. There were also a lot of missing persons reports coming in. That plus emails meant that she didn't go to bed till 2am. Then with Tony calling around 6am…. Ugg more coffee was needed.

Maybe at lunch time she would sneak out and take a 30 minute power nap. She could probably convince Connor to cover for her. It was odd. Last time she left the guy said he couldn't stand the work she did. This time, however, he was happy to stick around the tent and help her out. She sent him out to do a few things, but he always seemed to come back. Oh well, maybe the work was growing on him.

She was getting more coffee, from the cafeteria tent, when her phone rang. It was an unknown number. She considered ignoring it, but last time it had been Steve who called her.

"Hello this is Anya Marvel."

"Anya, its Steve." As soon as she heard his voice Anya knew who it was. She also knew she needed to get somewhere private to have this conversation. She was convinced the new "king" had eyes on her. Stepping out of the tent, through the back, she went and stood by the generator. No one else was around.

"Hey, how are you? Where are you?"

"I'm okay. I'm with Thor in Malibu...Where are you? It is kind of hard to hear you."

"I'm standing next to a generator that is powering my work site. I didn't want anyone to overhear me. I'm happy you guys are fine and out there; although, you will have to wait a day or two for everyone else."

"What do you know?"

"Well Tony's suit broke down after the battle. He just got it working this morning and called me. He and Natasha split up so I have no idea about her. I do know, however, that Bruce is on a bus to San Francisco, California, which is north of you. He should arrive tomorrow afternoon."

"How do you know about Bruce?"

"The Hulk followed Tony out west, but kept going. He ended up in Iowa at my adoptive parent's place. They put him on a bus. So that is how I know."

"Wow"

"Yep. OH! That reminds me. You guys need to be careful. Yesterday the President went on national TV and declared Loki the hero of NYC. He also labelled you guys as traitors. Your names and pictures have been released to the public. You are now wanted criminals."

"…"

"Steve? Are you there?"

"Yeah I'm here… it's just a lot to take in. This whole situation is, well, a lot. First a flying boat, then aliens, you being related to Tony, and now my government has turned on me…"

"Steve…" Sympathy for the man filled her. He always seemed so in control. She couldn't even begin to imagine what this was like for him.

"… I need to go. Thor is still at the restaurant and I need to get him out of there if we were on the news."

"Restaurant? Oh no. Please tell me you have cash to pay."

"No…just the SHIELD credit card."

"You need to use that card to get some cash. Then go pay with the card and leave quickly. Agent Barton is still with Loki. I wouldn't be surprised if he is having your finances monitored."

"Shoot, I didn't think of that."

"Hey, don't beat yourself up. Just play it safe. Get some food to go. You might as well stay since you have already been seen, but keep your head down and do it quick. Then stay hidden till the others arrive. Where are you guys hiding at anyway?"

"In the hills, southeast of Tony's house."

"Okay, I will tell Tony when I hear from him next." Anya paused for a second; she thought she heard her name being shouted out. "Hey, I hear someone calling me. Stay safe okay? It would be a pain to find a new work-out buddy."

Steve lightly chuckled at that, "I will. You do the same Anya."

"Bye," she said before hanging up. Right at that moment Connor came out of the cafeteria tent. Having spotted her he walked over.

"Hey, what ya up to?" He asked when he reached her.

"Oh just making a phone call and getting caffeinated." She answered while heading back to the main tent. " Did you check in with the others?"

"Yep. Mike said things are the same on his end, although they are running low on water bottles for the rescue workers."

"What about John?"

"No news worth reporting."

"Okay. Grab a volunteer and take a dozen cases of water over to Mike. When you grab the cases though check how many we have left. I don't want to run out."

They had just arrived at the CT when Connor stopped right outside. "Shall do…Also is everything okay?" That was odd. Why wouldn't it be, Anya thought to herself.

"Yes…Why do you ask?"

"I was just asking cause you said you had a personal call."

"Oh, yeah, I just had a minute and decided to check in with my parents. They have been worried because of the alien attack and Loki taking over."

"Why would they be worried about Loki's take over? He'll be a good King."

Where the hell did that come from? Something was up with Connor, Anya decided. First he was willingly sticking around the main tent. Then he was seeking her out and questioning her about personal calls. Now he was praising the "would be" king.

"Yeah… I don't know…But anyway I was just reassuring them everything was fine."

"Okay…Well I'll get on those water bottles."

"You do that." Anya said while escaping inside. She didn't know what was up with Connor but whatever it was couldn't be good. Entering the CT she was momentarily overwhelmed by the rush of people: some were on the phone, others at computers, most were talking loudly. It was organized chaos.

Settling down at her desk she felt like something was off. Someone was watching her. Nonchalantly, she gazed around the room. She did not see anyone staring. Still… Trying to ignore the feeling Anya continued with her work. She would just have to be careful of what she said and where she went, she decided.

* * *

**A/N: So I found out how to put the lines in! I'm going to keep the subject headings though for know. I figured they can only help since we have different characters in different locations. I am so pumped to get you guys up to speed. Also, last chapter reached pg 107 on word document! I am currently typing up chapter 33 and am on pg 198 in word. That should tell you these chapters are going to get longer. I'll be completely honest that I'm not sure about the epic showdown yet. I do know the Avenger's "plan" but to quote Harry Potter "When do our plans ever work? We plan, we get there, and all hell breaks loose."**

**If you love me or my story review, favorite , follow and share it!** Also let me know if you have an idea for a one shot.


	22. Chapter 21: Shut Up

**A/N: As always, I only own my OCs and plot. THANK YOU everyone who has Favorited/Followed since I added the last chapter. Also thank you for those who reviewed! UnCTRLblyExcite: Yeah sorry to be mean like that. Thank you and I'm glad you like the Hoosier assistance. Indiana was my college state so I had to throw them in. Zoe(guest): Thanks! **

**Shout out to everyone in Germany who is reading my story; your country is now the third highest on my list of readers. Sorry Estonia you dropped down to number 5. Still love you all though! I am soo happy you guys like my story. **

**There is a bit of a spoiler in this chapter if you haven't seen Agents of SHIELD and/or live under a rock. Yes by me saying that you should know where this chapter is going. Enjoys some Bruce time; P.S. I just saw Mark Ruffalo in WindTalkers (an old war movie that is good but made me cry) and that is a good visual for how he looks in my story but minus the mustache he has in the movie.**

* * *

**Chapter 21: Shut Up **

*****DSB: 2 - late afternoon on a bus heading west- BF*****

Bruce suppressed a groan as he got up from the horrid bus seat and headed outside. Ahh fresh air, he rejoiced silently. The bus smelled like an airplane. The other riders were loud. The seats were hard and there was no leg room. Yet, he had miraculously managed to sleep a few hours over the night and past day. According to the bus driver, they were in Wyoming and had a day left of driving; they would arrive in San Francisco tomorrow afternoon. He could not wait for this to be over.

Ducking inside the gas station he made his way back to the refrigerated drinks. After grabbing a chocolate milk he looked through the candy section. Ah what heart stopping food should complete his lunch, he wondered. Then he saw them, honey buns. Perfect. He was in line when the news, playing on a small TV behind the counter, caught his attention.

"As you can see, Jean," some newswoman spoke while the TV showed some collapsed building and volunteers working, "relief efforts are progressing nicely. Elsewhere in the city, life is continuing on as normal." The camera flashed back to a news station.

"Thank you, Helen. In other news, please remember the criminals responsible for this destruction, the Avengers, are still at large. If you see any of them call the police." This, Bruce reasoned, wasn't good.

Hey buddy, you ready or what?" The store clerk behind the counter half shouted at Bruce.

"Sorry, the drive has me in a daze," said calmly while stepping forward and handing the man the items. Keep calm, keep calm, he told himself.

"Whatever, total is $ 6."

Bruce gave the man the cash. Walking away, he heard someone to the right of him say, "That guy looks familiar."

Oh, no. It took everything in him not to make a run for it. Act normal, he told himself.

"Hey you," the casher shouted at Bruce, who started walking faster out the door. "Someone call the cops; it's one of those guys from TV," the cashier yelled.

Damn, was all Bruce could think. He jogged towards the bus and rushed inside of it. He could hear sirens in the background. Grabbing his duffle, which he left on the seat, he headed back out. Pausing in the doorway of the bus he looked around; everyone had huddled towards the gas station entrance and were watching him. Fear clearly on their faces. Time to go. He turned to run but stopped when he met the end of a rifle in his face. He heard a click of the gun chamber.

"You are not going anywhere," It was the store clerk. Bruce heard another click behind him. Slowly he looked behind his shoulder; another man held a hand gun at his head. This wasn't good. Bruce could feel his heart rate rise. He felt fear, but not for himself. He knew that he would come out of this fine, but the people around him wouldn't. He also felt anger; anger at the men for playing hero, for thinking that he was a criminal, and anger at Loki for turning him into a fugitive. He could feel the Other Guy ready to come out. He was scratching at his mind, willing Banner to unleash him.

"Please put down your weapons. I don't want to hurt you," he calmly told the men.

"You, hurt us? Who is holding the guns?" The man behind him sarcastically asked.

The siren was getting closer. Panic was building. Bruce couldn't hold him down anymore. The Other Guy was about to come out.

Then out of nowhere a black SUV pulled up parallel to him, in between him and the people standing at the gas station.

"What the hell?!" the store clerk yelled

The passenger door of the van opened, "Dr. Banner, get in," he heard a familiar voice yell. So Bruce did the natural thing, he halfway ran/dove into the SUV. The moment he was in and shutting the door the driver took off. It was only after they were driving away that he heard gunshots; he supposed the men were too shocked to think to fire faster.

After a few moments of silence, during which Bruce was working on recovering, he looked over at the driver.

"Buckle up please," the familiar SHIELD agent asked him.

Bruce did as he was asked before speaking, "Thank you."

The man smiled at Bruce, "Happy I came in time."

"Yes, you did. Now don't get me wrong, I am glad you came. But why are you in Wyoming and how did you know where I was?"

"I thought we covered this. SHIELD always knows where you are. As it was, I was nearby at a medical facility when they located you again. I volunteered to pick you up."

"Medical facility? In Wyoming?"

"Yeah, I was injured by Loki; stabbed in the chest actually. I was dead for a few seconds. If Loki hadn't taken over I would be recovering in Tahiti right now, but no, I got Wyoming."

"That sucks."

"Yeah, just a bit. Tahiti is a magical place."

"If you just died, should you be driving right now?"

"Probably not, but I feel great and was medically released. So…"

"Okay…"

Feeling uncomfortable Bruce looked out the window. It was then he saw a sign that said State Route 64 East. They were driving in the wrong direction. "So I don't know what you know, but I need to get to Malibu."

"Malibu?"

"Yeah to meet up with the team. After Loki had us surrounded we, or Tony, decided to meet up at his house in Malibu."

"Malibu huh?" At that moment, the driver sharply jerked the wheel of the car forcing it to do a U turn. Thankfully no one was around. "It's been a while since I visited there," he finished with a smile.

"You and me both Agent Coulson," Bruce said with a small smile. This, he decided, was definitely better than riding the bus.

* * *

*****ATST in Indiana –TF*****

"And there we go" Tony said to himself as he connected the last circuit in his suit. He was finally done. He had spent the past day and a half to two days fixing the suit. Most of the damage done to the suit was superficial, but there had been some electrical and wiring problems. The worst was a fried circuit board; which is why the repairs took so long. He had to build a new one out of the scraps the farmer had in his garage. Then he had to let it charge.

"The Mark7 is now operational, sir. I do, however, recommend changing it out for another suit when possible." Tony let out a sigh as he got up to stretch. He hadn't moved for the past two or three hours.

"Will do, J. Once we collect Red and fly to Malibu. Too bad Loki took over NYC, all my best suits are in the Tower. I wonder if I can sneak in and get another one."

"That is unlikely sir, seeing as Loki is now using the Tower as his head quarters."

"What?! When were you going to tell me Jarvis?!"

"I did tell you, after you fixed the communication circuit in the Mark7 that I had information to share."

"Jarvis for an AI you are pretty dumb. That is something you should have told me to shut up and listen about."

"Sorry, sir"

"Damn, so the diva took my tower. Anything else I should know? They don't know about you do they?"

"No, sir. They have accessed the surveillance system, but do not know about me."

"Well it could be worse. I'll just clean up and we need to go."

"Before you do that, sir, I believe you need to shut up and listen to some other information I have." Wow, his own AI told him to shut up.

"Jarvis, I may have said you should tell me to shut up and listen, but I did not mean you could use those exact words. "

"Sorry, sir, but may I continue with the news?"

Tony sighed, "Go on," he said, grabbing a bottle of water from the mini fridge, which he had found a yesterday in the garage; he had decided to help himself.

"I believe you will find it important that a few hours after you left New York with Romanoff, Loki was informed by Agent Barton that people were getting organized to assist those hurt in the battle. Loki ordered the leader to be brought to him."

"So what, J," Tony said while taking another gulp of water

"Sir, the leader of the relief operations in New York City is your sister, Anya Marvel."

That news sent him coughing as he choked on the water he had just drunk. "What?!"

"Yes, sir, according to the news her boss has been missing and she was placed in charge."

"Jarvis, can you pull up the security feed from their meeting?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good." Tony quickly stepped inside his Iron Man suit. After the visor came down he commanded Jarvis to replay the footage. After it was done, he ordered the suit to open up and he stepped out of it. Sitting down on the work bench, he tried to control the emotions. That bastard dared to put a hand on his sister. And she argued with him! He was kind of proud of her but angry at the same time. She had put herself in danger! There was also that problem with her "owing" that sick alien bastard a favor.

Silently he stood and put the tools away. He wrote a note on a scrap of paper thanking the man for letting him use his garage. Stepping back into the suit, he felt a sense of calm come over him. Purpose rang in his veins. He would meet up with the team and then go kick this bastard's ass for daring to use his tower, for damaging his city, for making him an outlaw, and for putting a hand on his sister.

"Let's go find Red, J, and then go meet the others," he told Jarvis as he moved to exit the garage.

"Sir, by Red do you mean Ms. Romanoff?" Jarvis' question halted Tony.

"What now?" he asked throwing his hands in air.

"Sir, Ms. Romanoff is currently in Stark Tower, specifically in the garage."

"Damn, they got in my garage. Can they get the suits? Pull up a video feed."

"No, sir, they can not open the suits," Jarvis answered him as the video opened up.

Rage once more filled Tony as he looked at the screen. Assassin 1, Red, was tied to a chair that looked like it was bolted to the ground in his garage. Blood covered her face and she was hunched over. Assassin 2, Legolas, was punching her screaming, "Tell me where they are!" It was like a bad soap opera/ spy show.

"How long?" he asked Jarvis

"She arrived sedated at Stark Tower this morning. She has been beaten by Agent Barton almost non stop. She currently has three broken ribs, numerous bruises to the face and stomach, as well as lacerations on her face, arms and thighs.

"We have to get her out of there." Tony said, more to himself than Jarvis. He thought for a moment before it came to him. " Jarvis, is Dummy still in the lab?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good, here is the plan. Once Red is alone have Dummy take the extra com (communication) unit from my work station and give it to her. Then order him to grab the blow torch and cut through her bonds. Once she puts the com in her ear patch her through to me."

"Very well, sir, but do you think it is wise to use dummy for this? He is a rather clumsy robot and there is a 76% chance Ms. Romanoff will be burned by the blow torch."

"Ahh, well we don't have a choice. Let me know when the plan starts."

"Very well ,sir."

"Now, close the video screen. We have some flying to do."

* * *

**A/N: So Coulson's back. Yeah! I couldn't leave my man dead. Also I know he was dead for several days and had several operations to bring him back to life according to Agents of SHIELD, but I am going to ignore all that and say they did it in a day. Also, I don't think I will bring the craziness into this story. Maybe if I write a sequel. Can't decide though. Of course I need to finish this story first. The ball is rolling.**

**I have to say I love my idea of dummy saving the day. He was always abused in the movie by Tony, but now he is the hero. The actual escape is in the next chapter and chapter 25 is when the rest of the team finds out about Coulson; it is my favorite chapter I have written to date. Look forward to it. **

**Also I know that some of the things I have Tony "think" in this chapter seem a little cold, but to me that seems in character. Tony always tries to distance himself emotionally from everything/one. We all know Tony has a soft heart but a rough exterior.**

**Please review/favorite/follow. It makes my day! Also check out my one-shots. If you want to be updated about one-shots just follow me as a writer and you will get emails. If you have ideas for one-shots please email me. Sorry for the long author notes. **


	23. Chapter 22: Part of the Team

**A/N: As always, I only own my OCs and plot line. Thank you for all who have Favorited/followed since last chapter! I am blown away by the support. UnCTRLblyExcite, my faithful reviewer, Thank you! And yes cheers for Coulson. I love the guy. **

**Without further ado, here is the chapter. **

**Chapter 22: Part of the Team**

** ***DSB: 2 - Evening in NYC – LF*****

It had been a rather odd, but interesting day, Loki decided. He had just teleported from the - what did the mortals call it? Ah the Command Tent, that is right. The other day, he was wandering around unseen to the lesser creatures of Midgard and he had found himself watching the mortals work to help each other. It all seemed so pointless. The weak would die, but they were determined to prolong the inevitable.

It was then he realized there was a perfect opportunity to learn more about that rather clever mortal woman; he never thought he would use the words clever and mortal together in the same sentence. She was intelligent though. She could tell she was being watched. Barton had been correct in stating basic surveillance wouldn't work. His new informant, however, had yet to provide any useful information.

He learned quite a bit about her that day. He had listened to the workers from other organizations and had learned that this was her first time leading. Apparently, she only had the position because her boss disappeared. Part of him wondered if she had anything to do with that, but considering their past conversation he doubted it. She was organized, seemed to genuinely care about everyone around her, and yet was shrewd and realized when other organizations would take advantage. He was able to see her craftiness and humor a few times that day. He had to admit she made a decent leader, other than her insistence on caring for the weak. That was her main fault. In that way she reminded him of his mother, Frigga.

No, he would not think of Frigga now. She was lost to him. She was never his to begin with. His life was a lie. He would harden his heart towards those few pleasant and good times because they were ultimately lies. His heart, Loki laughed at himself. That was right, he didn't have a heart. It was just ice.

Time to see, Loki decided, how Barton was doing on gathering information from that woman. He was getting weary of this hiding game played by the Avengers. He needed them dead for him to move forward with his plans.

*****Minutes earlier in Stark Tower – NF*****

Pain was Natasha's new reality. Clint knew her weaknesses and he was trained in interrogation/torture just as she was. She knew worse was to come and that she needed to mentally steel herself. Most people being tortured think that giving into the pain is what makes them surrender. The Red Room had taught her that was far from the truth. Accepting the pain as her reality was how she survived. There was no hope. No end to the pain. Peace and comfort was a lost illusion. That is how she would survive interrogation without breaking: she would make the pain meaningless to her.

Eventually, after what Natasha guessed was a day, Clint stopped. He was weak and needed a break, she guessed. He had just left the room when she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. A robotic hand started moving towards a desk. It picked up something and moved towards her. It proceeded to drop the small thing in her lap before going somewhere behind her. Looking at the object she realized it was an com piece. What in the world? She wondered, and then realized it had to be Stark. That is when it clicked. Jarvis was still active in the building. He must be controlling the robot, Natasha reasoned. It was at that moment that she heard something that sounded like blow torch somewhere behind her.

Stretching her wrists as far apart as possible, she waited. A moment later Natasha felt intense heat on her wrists; only years of being an seasoned agent stopped her from screaming and jerking her hands away. Eventually, after how long she did not know, she felt the metal cuffs break apart. Turning around she grabbed the blow torch from the robot with one hand while inserting the ear piece with the other.

"Red, do you hear me?"

Natasha couldn't help but let relief fill her answer, "Yes, I do Tin Man."

"Tin Man, really? It's titanium alloy not tin" Natasha only snorted a reply as she worked on her first cuff. "Anyway," Stark continued, "You need to hurry it up."

"Yeah because I am totally taking my time here." She sighed in relief as the first cuff fell off her ankle and she started working on the other leg.

"I meant hurry because Loki is coming your way."

_"_How close?"

"Two minutes."

After a few seconds the last cuff broke and Natasha weakly stood up. "Stark, how do I get out of here?" She didn't want to leave without Clint. She wanted to stay and kick Loki's ass, but she knew that would be impossible in her current condition.

"I would say take a suit, but they are not built for women. Here is the plan. First grab the USB that is plugged into the computer on my desk to your right."

"Got it."

"Good. Now hurry to the far corner diagonal from the elevator."

"Where the suits are?"

"Yes." Natasha moved as fast as she could. Having a few broken ribs and a beaten body wasn't helping her.

"Okay, I am here."

"See the space between the case and the wall? Wedge yourself in there."

"Done."

"Now on the case there is a button. It should be at your eye height. Press it."

After a few seconds, she found it. Pressing the button she cringed as the ceiling above her loudly opened up and a steel ladder quickly descended. She moved out of the way just in time.

"Tony, that almost hit me," she scolded the idiot through the earpiece.

"Sorry," he said with a light laugh, " I forgot the move out of the way part. Anyway, there is your way out. It will take you to ground level behind Stark Tower."

"Got it," She said, starting to climb. Her body was not happy with her decision.

"Good. Now there is a button that will be by the entrance in the ceiling. Once you are fully inside the shaft lean down and hit it; the ladder will retract some and close the entrance."

"Clever Stark."

"I know. Hurry it up. Loki is getting off the elevator." It was at that moment she made it to the ceiling. Climbing inside she quickly found the button and hit it. She felt the ladder jerk upward and heard the entrance close behind her. Once it closed lights appeared, illuminating her way upward. It was a long way up.

"Good thing I'm not claustrophobic," she joked.

"Oh my god. You made a joke. I can not believe it. Jarvis tell me you recorded that."

"I did, sir." Natasha had to stop herself from rolling her eyes.

"Grow up, Stark."

"Never. Anyway, get to Anya's apartment when you get out. She will be expecting you."

"Where does she live?"

"Doesn't SHIELD know that?"

"SHIELD does but I haven't exactly had contact with them of late. There was flying off with you, crashing in a field, getting captured and now climbing a ladder. I haven't had time for a socializing chat about your sister."

"Attitude, attitude." Natasha wished she could punch the billionaire right now. He should be happy he was miles away. Tony then gave her directions and told her just to ask Jarvis to contact him if she needed him.

Sighing in relief when Tony hung up, Natasha focused her energy on climbing. She hoped Tony hacked the video feed to hide how she escaped. Otherwise this whole endeavor was going to be a waste of time. And time, with the amount she was bleeding, was not something she had in her favor.

*****ATST in NYC AF*****

Anya couldn't be happier to get home. She was lucky to get to go home at all. Everyone needed to stay close to the recovery area in case something happened. Everyone else lived too far from home to go back every night. After a night at the hotel in DC she realized how thankful she was that a hotel would not house her for the next few days/weeks.

Anya decided that she wanted a shower, food and then bed; all in that order. She was just about to undress for the shower when her phone rang. She had to resist the urge to throw it against the wall. However, when she saw the number she quickly answered.

"Hey Tony, everything alright?"

"What, am I only allowed to call you when there is trouble?" Tony teased her.

"Of course not," she said rolling her eyes, "seriously though, what's up?"

"Okay, well there is trouble."

"That's what I thought."

"Just listen, brat. Natasha was captured by Loki-"

Anya interrupted with a "WHAT!"

"Let me finish. She was captured by Loki and taken to the Tower. I, being brilliant, helped her to escape."

"You used Jarvis right? I wouldn't call that brilliant but resourceful."

"I built Jarvis so I am brilliant. We got off topic."

"It happens. Anyway she is okay? Where is she"

"She's alive but injured. And currently she is on her way to your house."

"How soon till she gets here? Also how badly is she injured?"

"She should be there within the hour. As far as injuries, there may be a few that you need to stitch up."

"Oh…." Anya was not looking forward to that. Thank goodness she could sew. "Okay Tony, I'm going to go prepare. Where are you by the way?"

"I'm a few hours from my place."

"Okay, Steve and Thor are supposedly waiting by some hill by your house….I think it was northeast of your house. Dr. Banner is on a bus and arrives in San Francisco tomorrow afternoon. "

"How do you know all this?"

"Apparently, I am the go-to person for the Avengers. Personally, I think I now qualify as a member after all this."

Tony chuckled at that. "You're more of a secretary than a member."

"Asshole. Anyway, how is Pepper? I tried calling, but she didn't answer."

"How did you know I've talked with her already? I just got coms back this morning."

"Tony. It's obvious you like her. Why you aren't together is beyond me. "

"… I did talk with her," Tony hesitantly began, "she is fine. She is abroad running the company."

"That's good to hear…" Anya could sense her brother's discomfort and decided to bow out of the conversation. " Okay now I am really leaving. Love you bro."

"Take care little bird and good luck with Red."

"Yeah and I'll try. Do me a favor and don't fly into a billboard."

"As if," Tony scoffed before hanging up.

Ahh so much for rest_, _Anya thought. At least she had time for a quick shower. It was a very good thing, Anya realized, that both her roommates left the state after the alien attack. They had family elsewhere and decided to leave indefinitely. It was also a good thing they all paid last month's rent upon moving in. Otherwise, she would have that to worry about on top of everything else. She still had to find a new place to live in a month, though. Anya pushed that from her head. She would worry about that later. She had an injured assassin visiting within the hour. It was going to be a long night.

**A/N: Review/Follow/Favorite. How does everyone feel about some more Clint? He's in the next chapter. Be excited. **


	24. Chapter 23: Interesting Job Description

**A/N: Hey everyone. As always I only own my OCs and plot. **

**Thank you for those who have followed/favorited! Thank you reviewers- UnCTRLblyExcite: Thank you! Also sorry about the anticipation, but fair warning it will only build in this story. CausticCottonballs: Interesting...Clint is awesome though. Avarianna: Thank you and here you go. **

**Pre-warning about F-Bomb. Also here is some action for you. It's time for some Clint.**

**Chapter 23: Interesting Job Description **

*****DSB: 2 - late evening in NYC – AF*****

What, Anya wondered, would an injured assassin want to eat for dinner/midnight snack? Anya had just finished her shower and was munching on an apple while looking around her kitchen. Her black wet hair was in a braid and she was wearing a large red shirt that said "Iron Man" with matching black Iron Man men's boxers as pj pants. She saw them the other day and bought them on a whim. She was proud of her brother. She would never tell him about the pjs though; she wouldn't live it down.

Throwing the apple core in the trash, Anya tried to think of what would be good for Natasha to eat. Anya imagined the woman hadn't eaten in a while. So she would need nutrition. As Anya looked in her cupboards and refrigerator, she realized she had yet to go grocery shopping that week. Darn that evil dictator and stupid aliens attacking. They messed with her grocery shopping schedule. She snorted at herself for that thought.

As Anya closed the fridge door, she saw a movement in the corner of her eye. Turning she saw a dark figure on the fire escape causing her to scream in surprise. The scream was short-lived as her eyes focused on the figure and recognized the shape as Natasha. Rushing forward, Anya opened the window for the assassin.

"Natasha," Anya breathlessly greeted Natasha as she entered the apartment by gracefully climbing through the window. Seeing Natasha clearly under the kitchen light Anya was horrified at Natasha's physical state. Her face was slightly swollen, bruised and marked with several cuts. There were cuts and bruises on her arms as well. Anya imagined there was more damage elsewhere.

"Hi," Natasha sort of grunted. Slowly straightening she smirked at Anya. "You scream like a girl. You know that right?"

"Seriously? Of course I scream like a girl. I am a girl. Also that is a ridiculous sexist statement."

Natasha grinned at Anya, but that smile faded quickly into a grimace. Quickly shutting the window, Anya directed Natasha to a seat at the kitchen table, on which Anya had already placed all her medical and sewing supplies.

"Really, Iron Man PJs?"

"They are very comfy," Anya defended herself.

Natasha rolled her eyes. Nodding to the table she said, "I see you are ready for me."

"Yeah, Tony called me," Anya answered while grabbing a wet towel from the sink.

"Here," she said handing it to Natasha.

"Thanks." Natasha took the towel and slowly dabbed at her face. While she did that, Anya got her a glass of water.

"I only have Ibuprofen," Anya told Natasha, nodding to the bottle already on the kitchen table while she set the glass down next to the assassin.

"That's fine. I've had worse," Natasha commented. Anya didn't want to start to imagine what Natasha had gone through, so she changed the conversation.

"We need to get that blood off so I can see what needs to be done. Do you think you could get into the shower or is that a bad idea?"

"I need to sew up a few of these wounds first. Then shower."

"It is a very good thing you know what to do."

Natasha gave a breathless laugh, "Yeah, comes with the job."

"You must have an interesting job description," Anya repeated what she said months ago not long after meeting Natasha. Natasha smirked in response while continuing to slowly wipe the blood of her face.

"How good is your sewing?" Natasha asked Anya, who replied, "Good enough."

It was a long night.

*****The next morning (DSB: 3) ******

Her body hated her, Anya decided. It was six in the morning and her alarm was blaring. After hitting it, she laid back down. She was exhausted from work, plus the late night spent bandaging Natasha up. It was emotionally draining to stitch someone up; putting a needle in their flesh - ugh. How nurses and doctors did it every day was beyond her. When this was all over she was going on a long vacation where she could sleep in till noon.

The stupid alarm clock started up again. "Anya, turn off your fucking alarm or I will send a knife through it," a very grumpy Natasha yelled from the other room. Slightly terrified, Anya was now motivated to quickly get up and turn off the alarm. Stretching slightly, she got ready for work.

Twenty minutes later, Anya was in the kitchen starting the coffee pot. She decided to make some for Natasha as well. She was glad she had thought to prep the coffee last night; all she had to do this morning was hit a button. The less thinking in the early morning the better, Anya had long since decided. That would also be why she had laid out her clothes the night before. Of course, she didn't have to think hard about what to wear; the one good thing about field work, she decided, was wearing jeans. She wasn't a huge fan of wearing the company polo shirt, which she was also required to wear, but the jeans made it worth it.

The coffee was almost done brewing and her toast had just popped out of the toaster when there came a knock at her door. _Who the hell could this be? _Anya wondered.

"Who is it?" she yelled as she headed towards the door

"Open the door." Ah Shit, she knew that voice. As soon as she opened the door Agent Barton walked in. Of course he isn't an Agent now, she realized. With Loki around and SHIELD in the wind, he was just a mercenary; she recalled that was her first impression of him.

"Please, make yourself at home," she sarcastically mumbled. He wandered into the apartment, looking around. He stopped in front of the doorway to the kitchen before turning around and walking back to her.

"Why are you making a full pot of coffee?"

"Because I want to drink it. I need caffeine. Why?"

"You expect me to believe one person is going to drink 8 cups of coffee?"

"Yes. I'll have a cup here, take some with me to work, and make the rest ice coffee for later. What the hell does it matter to you?" She knew she should be cooperative, but it was the morning and she hadn't had her coffee yet.

"Who else is in the apartment?" Anya's breath catch in her throat. She forced herself to act normal.

"No one."

Barton walked towards her. She held her ground. He reached with one hand, eyes still on her, and shut the door behind her. His face was only a few inches from hers.

"This is your last chance to tell me the truth or I will kill whoever is here. Then I will drag you before the King so he can kill you."

He would know if she was lying, so she tried to divert the question. "Why are you here?"

"Answer the question."

"You have my answer. Search the place. You will find no one."

He drew back from her, frowning. Turning away, he started looking around. Anya hoped Natasha was hidden by now. Anya knew she had to be awake; that aggravating alarm was actually good for something. She stayed by the door while Barton walked deeper into the apartment. Of course he would check the guest bedroom Natasha was in first, Anya thought sarcastically.

"Come here," Barton ordered. He had been in the room for only a moment. Not a good sign, Anya felt. Warily, she walked down the hallway to the room. Entering in the room, but staying by the door, Anya saw Barton standing by the now stripped bed that stood in the middle of the room and took up much of the small space. She almost let out a sigh of relief. Natasha had thought to hide the bedding.

"Come over here," he demanded in a calm tone. Hesitantly, Anya walked over to the bed.

"Put your hand on the bed."

Giving him a confused look, she did as he asked. She placed her hand down on the mattress - it was warm. Her eyes widened. Slowly, she stood up and started to speak in a fake surprised tone, "It's warm – " but broke off the sentence as she swiftly twisted to the right, used the momentum of the turn to hammer fist Barton's stomach. She heard a satisfying grunt from Barton at the impact, as she followed her first hit with a left punch to his chin; a punch that missed as he weaved to the left at the last minute. Knowing she wasn't going to last long in this fight, she dodged his right hook and kicked him hard in the knee. Hoping it would incapacitate him long enough, she ran for the door. Rather than hearing a thump as he fell to the floor, she felt a hand grip her shoulder. He jerked her backwards and threw her onto the mattress. In less than half a second she was on the bed with a knife to her throat.

"Tell me who was here." She spit in his face. With the hand that wasn't holding the knife, he backhanded her; the blow jerked her head, causing the knife to cut her a little.

"Tell me."

"No." His eyes never leaving hers, he took the knife off her neck and jammed it into her, just below her left shoulder. She screamed in surprise and pain. She wasn't sure if it hurt worse going in or when he yanked it out. Pointing the knife at her face he calmly threatened her. "I can do this all day. Answer my question and I'll put a good word in for you with the King."

"I have no King!" As soon as she said that her vision went black as pain seared across her face. As the blackness that had filled her eyes faded away she saw his hand raised again. Then she saw, at that moment, a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. Barton must have seen it too, because he quickly ducked, causing Natasha's fist to miss his face. He rolled across the bed and got to his feet. Knife still in hand, he stood in fighting stance.

"You," was all he said.

"Anya run," Natasha commanded her. Anya moved as fast as she could. As she rose, quickly off the bed, black spots blurred her vision. She had a hard time walking straight. She may have bumped into the door frame. She needed to help. She knew that but didn't know how; she didn't have a weapon. That's when she remembered. She headed straight for the kitchen, opened a cupboard, and pulled out her old friend - the iron cast skillet.

***** 25 minutes earlier – NF*****

Natasha was normally in complete control of her emotions – except early in the morning after being injured and having a bloody alarm blaring from another room.

" Anya, turn off your fucking alarm or I will send a knife through it," she yelled at her friend. She had decided last night that Anya was one of the few people she would call that. Anya had been there for her when she needed help. She was in physical pain from the beatings yesterday; but as much as she didn't want to admit it, she was in emotional pain as well. She had been beaten by her partner, her friend, who was under Loki's mind control. To be so close and not able to stop him was what hurt the most. To escape the Tower without trying to free Clint hurt. Anya didn't pry. They didn't talk about it, but just her presence was soothing. Natasha didn't know when or how, but she was determined to save Clint.

She had drifted into a light sleep when she heard a knock on the door. A knock followed by Clint's voice. Both fear and hope filled her. This could be her chance or her undoing. Natasha almost laughed at herself for sounding so dramatic. Moving quickly and silently she got up from the bed and stripped its sheets. She looked out the door and saw Clint's back was turned; he was speaking softly to Anya. Based on Anya's posture she guessed it wasn't good. Grabbing the sheets, Natasha moved quickly to Anya's room and threw the sheets in the closet. It was a good thing Anya left the bedroom door open. If Natasha had had to open it herself Clint could have noticed. Actually she was surprised he didn't notice her open her bedroom door earlier.

Natasha wanted to go and fight him, but she was injured. It had taken all her skill to stop him last time. Yet last time one of his men had been there to help him. This time no one was. She needed to wait for the best moment.

She listened carefully by the door. She heard him walk closer and stop. He called Anya to him. Peeking her head out the door, she saw no one in the hallway. They must be in the her room, Natasha realized. As she crept towards the room, she heard sounds of hand combat and then a soft thump. When she approached the door frame, she heard them speaking.

"Tell me," Clint demanded.

Anya replied calmly, but confidently, "No." The next moment, as Natasha reached the door frame, she heard Anya scream. Peering inside, she saw that Clint had a knife pointed at Anya's throat. It was covered in blood, as was Anya's left shoulder.

Clint was speaking again, "I can do this all day. Answer my question and I'll put a good word in for you with the King."

Anya yelled, "I have no King!" and Clint punched her hard in the face. That was it. She couldn't wait. Her friend was injured. His back was turned. Moving quickly, she bounded silently into the room and aimed a punch at his head. Damn, Natasha mentally cursed when he ducked and rolled across the room. He held a knife in his hand and stood at fighting stance.

"Anya, run." Natasha told her. The girl was already hurt and was bound to get in the way; Anya scrambled out the door, stumbling along the way.

"Clint I have to say, I am going to enjoy bashing your head into something."

"Not sore over our conversation yesterday are you?"

"Conversation? There is a reason Fury sent me on intel missions and not you. Your interrogation skills are terrible."

"Well, I will just have to practice when we get back to the Tower. I'll have a talk with little Anya first and then you." That did it for Natasha. She didn't mind people threatening her, but to threaten someone she cared about… She shut down her emotions and cleared her mind. That was the only way to fight.

Honing her years of training, Natasha vaulted over the bed, using it as a spring board, aiming to kick Clint square in the chest. If she had been fighting anyone other than Clint the kick would have landed. Clint, however, rotated his body out of the way and followed through with a hammer fist aimed at Natasha's stomach. The hit landed and dropped her to the ground. To give herself space to get up, she twisted and kicked him in the stomach before leaping to her feet. She sent a left roundhouse kick at his head which hit him. But as she drew her leg away, he shoved the knife into her thigh. The knife was now stuck in her leg. Ignoring it, she step forward and punched him in his face. She jumped to the side to avoid a jab in the gut but hit the wall. Stupid small bedroom, it was far from an ideal sparring space. However, she realized the small space was the only reason that Clint wasn't using his bow. Using the wall, she jumped up in the air and kicked Clint hard enough that he tumbled over the bed. It gave Natasha the break she needed to breath.

In all Natasha was a mess: a knife was jabbed into her left thigh; she still had a few broken ribs from yesterday; and at least one of her wounds had reopened. She needed to end this fight soon. Seeing something in Clint's hand, she dropped to the ground. It was just in time; he had thrown a knife at her. Jumping up, she had to dodge another knife that followed. She was lucky it was knives and not the bow. Clint was excellent with knives, but he was extraordinary with the bow. Seeing him move his arm back for his bow, Natasha plucked the knife off the wall and threw it at his arm – which is exactly where it landed. Grunting at the pain, he pulled it out glaring at her.

"Now, we're even," Natasha told him.

"No, now you will pay," he responded. She expected him to pull out the bow. She expected him to vault over the bed with a kick. She expected him to come running at her. He did none of the things she expected. He headed towards the door. The moment he made that move, she realized what was going to happen. He was going to grab Anya and force Natasha to surrender. Natasha rushed after him, desperate to stop him from getting out of the room.

She moved faster than she thought was possible considering her injuries. She had a kick aimed squarely at Clint's back that missed. It missed not because Clint dodged it, but because he dropped to the ground; Natasha almost fell on top of him, but skidded to a halt in time. Extremely confused, Natasha looked up from Clint's collapsed body to see Anya leaning against the door frame. A frying pan was in her hand. No way_, _she thought. But sure enough as she looked at Clint's face, she saw a giant red welt forming on his head. She smirked at Anya and raised an eye brow as if to say, "really?"

Anya, looking terrible, smirked back, "Frying pans, who knew?"

Natasha chuckled in response. Looking down at Clint she could see him begin to stir. "So Anya," Natasha began, "do you have any rope?"

"No, but I do have duct tape."

"That will work," Natasha told the girl.

** A/N: So I hope you enjoyed my Tangle add in. Iron cast frying pans are a legitimate weapon. Seriously, they are heavy.**

**So if you haven't noticed by now I adjust character's names based on whose focus the chapter/section is on. Like Natasha calls Hawkeye Clint, but Anya calls him Agent Barton. Now Tony calls everyone various nicknames and I decide to continue with that. You should be able to tell whom he is talking to, just don't be surprised by the face everyone has more than one name to him. **

**Next chapter you get to read about everyone. **

**follow/favorite/review please! Also, I stuck between if I should write an Anya/Tony sibling bonding one-shot or a Pepper/Tony one-shot (I'm thinking that one would be when Tony was turned down by Pepper). Review and share your thoughts. **


	25. Chapter 24: Babysitter

Hey everyone, I am so sorry for the delay. Thankfully my wonderful beta gave me two chapters so I will upload the next one shortly. As always, I only own my OCs and plot.

THANK YOU all who have followed/favorited. Thank you to all who reviewed. CausticCottonballs: I agree. UnCTRLblyExcite: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the action scene. Skeeter20: Thank you! And yeah, Tangled has me hooked with the frying pan. hotchocolate159: Smiley face right back to you :)/p

Pre-warning language. Enjoy.

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**Chapter 24: Babysitter**

***** DSB 3: Early Afternoon – Malibu California – Coulson F*****

It had been a pleasant enough drive, Phil decided. Dr. Banner had fallen asleep soon after getting into the car. He had drifted between sleep and in a daze the rest of that day and night. Currently, he was staring blankly out the window. Phil guessed suppressing the Hulk took a lot out of Dr. Banner. Phil was glad he made it in time to stop the Hulk yesterday. Innocent people would have gotten hurt. Too many innocents had been hurt already. More were likely to get hurt before this was all over. It was enough to make him wish he had gone to Tahiti. Maybe after this was over he could take a vacation. Maybe Anya would come with him.

He would need a vacation soon. He had died. Maybe it had only been 8 seconds, but it felt longer. He could remember the darkness. He remembered being gone. The pain had stopped. The worry about all those he would leave behind - the Avengers, Fury, Audrey, and Anya – was gone. There was only peace. Then the pain returned and so did he. He was glad. He had work to do still. He also didn't want to leave Anya, his new sister. The last thing he told Fury, before he died, was to take care of her. He had only known her a few months, but she already had a place in his life. Now he was back and still worrying about her. Fury informed him, after his brief rehabilitation in the desert, that she was still in NYC. SHIELD couldn't do anything to protect her without drawing attention to her.

SHIELD was in a bind. Technically, Phil was no longer working as a SHIELD agent. The President of the United States of America had sanctioned Loki's actions and ordered the arrest of the Avengers. Loki had government and military support. SHIELD could do nothing to interfere. In fact, the Council already ordered Fury to do just that – nothing. So as far as the Council and SHIELD were concerned, Phil was simply taking some time off from work, driving west with a friend and seeing the sights. No back up. No support. This was not going to be easy, but they would do it.

"How far are we?" Dr Banner asked, breaking the silence for the first time since they stopped for breakfast.

"We should arrive within the hour. Stark's house is probably being watched right now. Do you know where the others might be hiding?"

"…no…although, Anya might know," Dr. Banner replied. _What did his sister have to do with this?_ Phil wondered.

"Anya?" Phil asked.

"Anya Marvel. Stark's half-sister."

"No, I know who she is. I was just wondering how she was involved."

"How - never mind SHIELD would know about her. Anyway, she has somehow become the point of contact for everyone. Her parents were the ones who put me on the bus."

"What? How did you meet her parents? They live in Iowa." This was getting more and more confusing, Phil felt.

"Well the Other Guy ran west and I woke up in their barn. Then when she was on TV, speaking after the President went on, the Marvels, the people I was with, pointed her out as their daughter. She called a little while later and found out about me. Apparently, the Captain told her to look out/try to find me."

Phil's head felt like it was going to explode. Dr. Banner was in contact with Anya's adoptive parents. Anya had been on TV after the president's speech; damn Fury for not telling him that. Also Anya had been asked by Captain America to try to find Dr. Banner. It was a bit much.

"Agent Coulson?" Dr Banner's voice broke through Phil's mental tangent, "Are you okay?"

Phil forced his hands to loosen their hold on the steering wheel. "Fine. Call her and see what she knows."

"Sure…" Dr. Banner reached into his pants pocket to pull out his phone.

"Dr. Banner," Phil stopped him before he hit the call button, "Don't tell her about me."

Dr. Banner looked slightly confused but nodded his head in agreement before making the call.

*****A few minutes later in NYC –AF *****

"Anya, he's waking up, get in here." Natasha shouted loudly from the guest bedroom.

"Just a second," Anya shouted back to the assassin before concentrating on the phone conversation she was having. Anya was currently in her living room; her work laptop was open, a few papers spewed around her and a phone held to her ear. She had changed out of her work clothes into black sweatpants and a AC/DC t-shirt when it became obvious she was not going to the command tent (CT) today. She feigned a sudden illness and called Connor; she would work from home and he was in the CT. She would have to think of a good story for her bruise and cut later. It was also too bad she had nothing stronger than Ibuprofen; the knife wound was a persistent throbbing pain. She was barely able to concentrate on working or anything at the moment.

" Sorry Bruce, I have to go. Clint is waking up." She told Dr. Banner. He had called her only minutes ago asking for an update on everyone. He had asked her to call him Bruce rather than Dr. Banner.

"Be careful. He may still be under Loki's powers." Bruce warned her on the other end of the line. There was a bit of protectiveness in his tone, which she found odd.

"Don't worry. I have Natasha. Also we duct taped him to a chair. Anyway, have Tony Skype me when you all have a plan or what not. Stay safe," Anya wished the Avenger.

"You as well," Bruce replied. Anya hung up the phone, set it down by her computer, and quickly went into the other room. Entering into the now guest bedroom she saw Barton was sitting, tied to the kitchen chair in the far corner of the room by the bed, where she last saw him. Natasha hovered nearby. The tied-up assassin's hand started to twitch.

"Hey," Anya greeted Natasha a little breathlessly, "that was Bruce. He got a ride from a friend, and before you ask I don't know who. All the Avengers minus you two should be meeting up within an hour or too."

Natasha nodded at Anya, "Good work."

Smirking, Anya responded, "Good work being the babysitter? Thanks."

Natasha chuckled, "That is a pretty accurate description."

Before Anya could respond, they heard what seemed to be a groan. Staring at Barton they watched as his hands started forming fists and pulling at the restraints. He seemed to be sweating as his muscles started tensing.

"Clint?" Natasha moved towards him, sat on the bed beside him and spoke softly. "It's going to be okay. You're going to okay." At her voice Barton seemed to relax. There was something between those two, Anya decided.

"Nat?" Barton croaked out. His eyes, Anya realized had changed color. She swore they were a bright blue earlier now they were bluish-grey. He kept blinking and seemed to be trying to gain focus, "What…" he started to ask, but then a horrible realization seemed to dawn on him. Darkness filled his eyes. "How many Agents – " he started, but Natasha interrupted him. "- Don't do that to yourself. It was Loki, not you. It was monsters and magic."

Barton shook his head as if he disagreed. Time, Anya decided, to let the assassins talk. Anya quietly backed out of the room. Slowly, to give the couple time alone, she went into the kitchen and got a pair of scissors and a glass of water. Anya supposed Natasha could use the knife to cut up the duct tape, but she wasn't sure where it was at that moment and didn't want to think about it. As she returned to the guest bedroom a few minutes later both of their eyes shot up at her.

"Here," Anya held the scissors out to Natasha. Natasha nodded her thanks and cut through the duct tape that held Barton to the chair. After he had peeled the tape from his arms, Anya hesitantly stepped forward, extending the glass of water to him. His eyes seemed weary. She could see his eyes darting between her face, neck and left shoulder. He was checking the damage he had done to her. Looking at her eyes, as he slowly took the glass of water, she could see the guilt and regret in his face. "I am so sorry," he said slowly and with emotion. Anya couldn't help, but marvel at it. From what she knew about Clint Barton, an apology was rare. He was a true assassin; he hid his emotions and never apologized.

Anya could feel Natasha's gaze on her face. Anya nodded slowly, accepting the apology. There was an awkward silence for a moment before Anya spoke. "Agent Barton, do you remember why you came to my apartment this morning?" She asked him. She needed to know the reason. She needed to be prepared for what was going to happen next.

Barton sighed. He muttered to himself " I remember everything." Taking a drink of water he answered Anya's question. " I came here on a hunch. Natasha had escaped last night. Loki was not happy. We searched the area late into the night. I tried to think of where she would go for help. I knew you were connected with SHIELD. So there was a chance she might have come here.

"Clint," Natasha asked him, "Did you tell anyone where you were headed?"

"No." Anya let out a sigh of relief. "But Anya," he continued, "you need to be careful. Loki is watching you." Anya felt shivers down her back. That sounded creepy. Why the hell would a "god" be interested in her?

"What do you mean?"

"He turned two of your guys against you….it was my idea to use someone close rather than tail you." Barton confessed. Anya decided to ignore it.

"Who?"

"I don't know. I didn't need to know. I had one of my men find someone willing to assist. Then the other day I was told they dragged someone in who talked with Loki. I'm assuming he was brainwashed. "

"Well, shit." Anya said sitting down on the bed next to Natasha.

"Do… do you know why he is doing this?"

"My guess is because of your connection with SHIELD…. Although…. He did seem to have an interest in you."

Anya scoffed, "Yes because I interest a 'god'. This has so not been my week."

"Ditto," Barton said. At that moment Anya heard her cell phone ring.

"Back to work," she said moving to leave the room, " I'll order lunch in a little while," she told them before exiting.

She heard Barton ask Natasha as she left the room, "So, where is everyone else?"

***** A few hours later, early evening in Malibu - TF*****

"JARVIS, any sign of them?" Tony asked his AI. He was approaching his house in Malibu. He decided that things, generally speaking, were going well. The suit was, for the most part, fixed. Anya was safe, as was Pepper. Red had escaped Reindeer Games; Anya called last night to say Red was at her apartment. Sure, Legolas was still turned, but the rest of the team would be meeting up within the day. Then they just had to think of a plan to kill Loki, get the Tesseract, and un-brainwash the President of America along with the military and a good chunk of the government. It wasn't going to be easy, but it was doable. He was a genius, after all, and would think of a way.

"Sir, I am picking up heat signatures that could be human in the area Ms. Marvel described. I have adjusted our course."

"Good work, J. Let's keep our eyes out though. I wouldn't be surprised if this was trap."

As Tony closed in on the hills above his house, he saw a relatively flat area to land in. He circled once to see what was around. He saw no signs of people, but there were large rocks in the area. He wouldn't doubt a sort of cave could be found around there. Too bad he never explored his own back yard. Then again he wasn't the "outdoorsy" type, well unless one counted flying.

Deciding to go with his gut, he slowly landed in the area. "JARVIS, where are the heat signatures?"

"They are three yards away, under that large rock northeast of your location, sir."

"Come out, come out, where ever you are." Tony whispered to himself as he approached the area with caution. He had arrived at the very large rock, more of a boulder in his opinion. He was walking around it when out of nowhere a giant blond mass of muscle jumped out yelling. Slightly frightened, not that he would admit it, Tony took flight, going only a few feet up and back in the air.

He commanded his helmet to slide the face panel open and held his hands out, " Thor! It's me!"

Upon seeing Tony's face and hearing his voice Pointbreak stopped. Realizing it was Tony, he set down his hammer. Slowly, Tony cut off his thrusters and dropped to the ground in front of the giant man.

"Man of Iron, it is good to see you," the alien greeted Tony.

"Likewise. Where is Capsicle?" He asked the blond. The blond giant's face showed signs of confusion. He looked like he was about to ask what Tony meant when the devil himself came around from the boulder where the alien had emerged.

"Stark," Capsicle greeted Tony. He remained standing by Thor with his arms crossed.

"Captain," Tony returned the greeting, "When did you guys have time to stop at the Gap?" Tony asked gesturing to their clothes.

Annoyance crossed Capsicle's face. "After splitting up we stopped at my apartment to deal with our injuries. We changed there."

There was, Tony realized, a lot of tension between them. It was probably because of Anya, Tony decided. He didn't get what she saw in captain spandex. He was too old for her. Like seventy years too old. Tony, never being one for tact, decided they needed to discuss this now.

"Okay, I know we have to deal with Loki and everything. Bruce should be here soon and then we can plan." Stepping closer to the soldier, Tony's face transformed into that of a threatening older brother, "First, though, you need to know that as soon as this is over you will stay away from my sister." He finished that sentence pointing his finger at the Captain.

Anger filled the Steve's face. Thor, Tony could see out of the corner of his eye looked slightly conflicted on what to do. Steve stepped closer to Tony so that Tony's pointed finger was actually touching the soldier's chest.

"What right to do have to tell me this?" Steve spoke clearly and with passion, "You who forced your sister to go one a date with you and then did an illegal background check on her because she wouldn't sleep with you. You who got her injured think you have the right to tell her to stay away from me?" Every word the soldier said cut Tony deep. A small part of him was angry at Anya for sharing those things with this man. Another part of him was hurt, knowing it was completely true. Tony decided to ignore both of those feelings and focus on anger.

" I am her brother," he said clearly and slowly, " And I didn't know it until after those things happened."

"So that makes it okay?!" Capsicle quickly jumped in. "You feel justified because you didn't know? It's fine with you to dishonor a woman and treat her like shit because you want to get laid?!" Tony was about to defend himself, but Capsicle refused to let him speak. "No, Stark, don't try and explain it away. That is what you did by forcing her to go on that date with you."

"I did nothing of the sort!" Tony objected. Pointbreak must have seen this was about to come to blows because he stepped forward and physically pushed the two men apart.

"Man of Iron, Friend Steve, this must stop. This is not the time, nor place. See reason my friends."

"Not at this moment blondie," Tony told the man. Capsicle, however, seemed to consider the giant's words. After a moment of glaring, Steve straightened and relaxed his posture.

"No, Thor is right. There is too much at risk." Tony continued to glare at the man. He knew the Captain was right. Or rather that Thor was right. This should wait till later. Yet, he did not want to agree. Mostly because he never wanted to agree with the human popsicle. Something about that man always irritated Tony. Waiting a few moments, Tony took a step back and gestured with his hands, "Fine." Glaring at the soldier one more time he added, "but we will talk about this after."

Tony saw the Captain's jaw tighten, "Agreed."

At that moment, Tony could see Thor tense. The man was looking to the left into the trees. It looked like Capsicle noticed the same thing at the same time. Expecting battle, Tony let his face mask drop. He turned with his right arm raised, ready to fire missiles. The moment he turned, however, and saw what the others saw, he dropped his arm. He commanded the face mask to raise and took a slow step forward. This, he decided, couldn't be real. There, coming over the hill, between the few trees, was Bruce. It was not the scientist that surprised him, or rather them. It was the man standing beside Bruce.

It was Agent Coulson. He was alive. What the fuck was going on?!

**A/N: To all AoS fans, I am not going to focus or talk about Coulson and TAHITI other than the short reference to it above. I am thinking about writing a sequel with AoS/Thor Dark World/Winter Soldier and in that I will deal with Coulson and TAHITI. Get ready for Tony freaking out next chapter. Follow/Favorite/Review - it is what encourages me. :D**


	26. Chapter 25: Suprise

**A/N: As always, I only own my OCs and plot line. Thank you everyone who has followed/favorited this story. I was so happy to see it jump after posting the last chapter. So this has to be one of my favorite chapters just because of Tony. Enjoy, review/follow/favorite my dear readers.**

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Chapter 25: Suprise

*****DSB: 3 – evening in Malibu - T****F*****

"Please tell me you guys are seeing what I'm seeing," Tony pleaded to the two men beside him with panic in his voice. Steve, Thor and Tony had, just moments before, reunited for the first time since the battle of NYC. Thor had just stopped Tony and Steve from a getting into a fist fight. Then someone they all knew to be dead had just appeared along with Bruce. It was all a bit much.

Tony took the sharp intakes of breaths from both men as a yes; they were also seeing a dead man walking. Tony started throwing reasons out as to how it was possible while Bruce and Agent Coulson walked towards the group, "We are all hallucinating. That's it. Who ate the mushrooms?" Steve threw a sharp look at Tony. "Fine, no mushrooms…then maybe it is airborne… JARVIS do you detect anything?"

"No, sir. The air is free of hallucinogens. I also do not detect anything in your blood stream."

"What the fuck is going on?! We've cracked. That's it. Or we're dead. OH NO! We are dead! The country is now screwed! Pepper will be pissed. Anya…. Oh Anya… she will be all alone – "

*****SF*****

"- Stark SHUT UP!" Steve commanded and for once, to everyone's surprise, Tony did as he was told. Agent Coulson and Dr. Banner stopped a few feet away. Steve had seen lot in the past few days. Director Fury had told him the world had gotten stranger and it had. This, however, was a whole new level. Something was going on.

*****BF******

Bruce was confused as to everyone's reactions. Clearly there was something he was missing. Tony was freaking out. Steve and Thor looked shocked and confused. Glancing over at the man beside him, Bruce wondered what he had not been told. Agent Coulson had a faint, almost weary smile, on his face.

After a few awkward, suspended, moments, Thor spoke "Son of Coul… how is this possible? We were told you were dead."

"I am, clearly, not dead Thor." Agent Coulson spoke for the first time since arriving.

Before he could say more Tony interrupted, "How do we know that?"

"Tony," Bruce spoke with exhaustion and slight aggravation, " Zombies are not real nor are ghosts."

"There is no proof of that" Tony defended himself, "But that wasn't what I meant. How do we know it is him and not Loki or someone in disguise?" As soon as Tony suggested that everyone, Bruce included, took a step away from Agent Coulson. Steve's hand closed into a fist. Thor gripped his hammer tighter. Tony armed the missiles in his suit.

****PF****

Phil slowly raised his hands up in surrender. " I am not," he spoke very clearly and slowly, "an imposter. I am Agent Phil Coulson of SHIELD."

"It is," Thor spoke, "possible for my adopted brother to shape shift. How do we know what you say is the truth?"

He was about to answer when Tony spoke, "What was the last conversation I had with Agent Coulson?"

"You offered to let me use your jet to visit Audrey in Portland."

Steve spoke, "Same question."

"I asked you to sign my Captain America trading cards that are, I will add, in near mint condition."

Tony spoke, "They aren't now. Fury showed them to us with your blood on them. He said they were in your jacket."

"What!" Surprise came over Phil's face and he mumbled to himself, "Damn that man." Sensing that was not the place he explained himself, "The cards were in my locker. Director Fury must have removed them and put blood on them to motivate you. The same reason why he told you I was dead rather than injured."

"I don't know if I believe you," Tony said.

Phil quickly rebutted, "But you believe Fury?"

Sensing more "proof" was needed Phil spoke again, "Thor," he spoke looking at the man, "Jane is currently at an undisclosed location as a guest lecturer. I arranged for her to be moved there when the trouble started."

Turning his head slightly, Phil's eyes focused on Steve next, "Steve, as I mentioned on the jet when you were brought in, I had design input into your uniform. At that time I also mentioned how Doctor Banner was like Steve Hawking. A name you didn't know and I explained as a very smart person."

Using the natural transition, Phil turned his head to Dr. Banner and continued, "Dr. Banner, I did not have a chance to speak with you on the helicarrier or before then. Natasha was assigned to assist you."

"Stark, we share a sister – Anya Marvel." Coulson heard Dr. Banner take a deep breath. Apparently this was news to the man. Neither Steve nor Thor looked surprised. " We only found out about three months ago. After she was brought into SHIELD for questioning, I came to the Tower to speak with her. She asked me to stay for lunch, you were making sandwiches. I knew you, however, before that time. I was the one who led the team to assist you and Ms. Potts in your fight against Obadiah Stane; after which, you made my life harder by rejecting the planned cover story – about the body guard and yacht party- to tell everyone you were Iron Man."

Each man slowly relaxed after Agent Coulson had spoken to them in tern. Stark was the last to relax. Stark, after a moment, deactivated his weapons and lifted his face mask. His emotions, Phil found, were hard to read at the moment. As Stark slowly walked towards him, Phil mentally prepared himself for any situation, but outwardly remained still and calm. Stark stopped not a foot away and paused. Looking him in the face, a smile came on Stark's face as the man pulled him into a rather painful hug. Phil was not expecting that.

"I am so glad you are alive," Stark told Phil while embracing him. A little awkward, Phil patted Tony's suit gently on the back. After a little bit, Stark released him. Tears were in both men's eyes. Stark immediately followed the hug by saying, "You need to call Anya now."

Phil nodded and asked, "You wouldn't be able to pull up a video chat would you?"

*****DSB: 3– very late evening Malibu - SF*****

To say Steve was exhausted was like calling a hurricane a light wind. He was drained physically, emotionally, and mentally. Having a colleague – a friend- come back from the dead would do that to any person. Steve let out a sigh of frustration and exhaustion. Turning on his side, he tried to get more comfortable. He was currently lying on top of a sleeping bag on the dirt floor of a cave and he couldn't sleep.

It had been a long evening. After Agent Coulson had verified that he was in fact Agent Coulson, and not someone in disguise, to help make sense of the situation, everyone explained what had occurred to them in the past three days. All of them had been busy to say the least. It seemed to Steve that Thor and he had had it the easiest. To think, Agent Romanoff had been captured, but now they had her and Agent Barton back. It was a lot to process.

They needed to think of a plan on what to do next, but at that moment no one could think straight. It was late and everyone was drained. Even Stark seemed to need rest and was short on comments. So they decided to sleep and talk later. Stark, Banner and Agent Coulson were in the agent's car. Thor and Steve had bought sleeping bags the last time they were in town; so the two of them stayed in the small cave in the hills above Stark's house.

He lightly hit his head against the hard floor. Steve wished he could simply fade into oblivion at that moment. He needed to rest – maybe not physically, the serum took care of that, but mentally. Yet his mind wouldn't shut up and there was no punching bag around. Nor was his friend nearby. That, he decided, was at least one positive of today. His friend had her brother back. Focusing on that, a light smile came to his face and his mind finally let him rest.

***** DSB: 4 very early morning in NYC – AF*****

She couldn't remember feeling so… happy… no it was more that that...she felt complete; it was hard for her to describe. Anya found out late last night that her brother was alive. Both brothers were, for the moment, safe and alive. To tell the truth, she had never accepted Phil's death. It seemed wrong, impossible. Then with everything that had happened since then she hadn't been able to process it. Or rather she refused to process it. Three days of believing her brother was dead. Three days of that on top of an evil dictator taking over the country, a friend being tortured and injured, her being stabbed and hit, plus dealing with relief work. It was a lot to take in.

Still… he was alive. She couldn't keep the smile from her face; although, her smile did falter at the amount of paperwork on her "desk" in the command tent; although, if the pain in her shoulder didn't hold back her smile nothing as small as paper work would, Anya decided.

After working from her apartment yesterday, Anya knew she had to get into the CT early. She had quietly gotten ready in the morning and made it to Times Square by five am. It was still dark out and the night staff were still in the tent. Greeting John, who was covering that night's shift, she looked at her desk and decided to procrastinate.

She grabbed a cup of coffee from the cafeteria tent and started to walk around the damaged area. Evidence of the fight was still very clear in the city. The army, who had taken over for the fire department, had just gotten the roads cleared of alien remains; meaning the remains were now in large piles on the sidewalk every few blocks, waiting to be burned. There were still the giant whale-turtle aliens flopped over a few buildings. How they were going to fix that, Anya did not know. What she did know was that everyone in those buildings had been evacuated. As if finding housing in NYC was hard enough. At least the government had stepped up and was paying the hotel bills for the households affected. The businesses were going to need help too though; Anya made a mental note to discuss that at the next group meeting.

After talking with a few soldiers and workers that were on duty, she made her way back to the CT. She had only been gone an hour and already she swore the pile on her desk had grown a few inches. About half of the other organizations' leaders were already in. Connor was sitting at her desk looking at some papers.

"Mornin' stranger," she greeted her co-worker. Jumping slightly, he looked up a little nervously. That, Anya decided, was odd.

"Morn- oh my god what happened to your face?!" Connor exclaimed. Leave it to him to attract the entire attention of the CT and forget about tact. Anya rolled her eyes.

"Out of the chair and I'm fine," she told him, shooing him from her spot. He got up, but his eyes didn't leave her face as she went to sit down.

"Seriously Anya, what happened? You look like you were in a fight." Connor persisted.

Anya sighed, "If you must know, I was in a fight. I went to the store to get food and some idiot tried to mug me."

"WHAT?!"

Anya cringed, "Please keep it down! It's early and I'm tired!" Anya waited a moment before continuing, "Like I said. I was sick yesterday. I ran out of food and went to the corner store. Someone tried to mug me on my way there. He hit me hard in the face, but I fought him off and went home."

Connor stared at her in amazement, "…you fought off a mugger…. Wow."

Anya had to smirk, 'Come on Connor. You know I've taken Krav Maga classes for almost a year and I work out." He continued to stare at her. "Conner, I need to get to work. So stop staring and go do something useful."

Connor rolled his eyes. He muttered to himself getting up, "Now I know you are feeling better." Smirking again, Anya turned her focus on the screen. Time to answer emails. Oh what joy.

** *** STSP–CF*****

Ducking out of the CT, Conner quickly walked away from the recovery site. Finding a less crowded area, he pulled out his cell phone. Hitting the speed dial he waited for his commander to pick up.

"You better have something for me McLark for waking me up this early." The gruff voice answered on the other line.

"Sir, yesterday Anya called in sick and worked from home."

"I don't give a shit – " the man started, but Connor interrupted.

" – I wasn't finished. She called out sick, but she came in today with a shiner and looking a little pale. She said she was robbed going to the grocery store." Connor repeated the story.

"… huh, I take it you don't believe her."

"…I'm not sure. Regardless, I am obeying orders to report anything suspicious."

"Fine. Get back to work," the voice said before hanging up. Sighing, Connor put his phone back in his picket. He hoped he was able to help his King by doing all of this. He hated hiding his loyalty.

***** A few hours later – NYC LF*****

To say Loki was furious was an understatement. Barton was missing and he had no doubt that red haired bitch had gotten to him. It wasn't that Loki needed Barton; he didn't need anyone. It was more the fact that the Avengers had taken something from him and were now together.

_ He had been on the balcony floor, working with the Tesseract, when a guard came in. Loki was sitting at the table looking at the cube, his back to the door. Sensing the man's nervousness he demanded to know what the man wanted without turning around._

_"My King, Agent Barton is missing." The man nervously reported. Slowly Loki turned towards the guard._

_"Repeat that"_

_"Agent Barton…is missing, Sire."_

_"How long?"_

_"He left early yesterday morning and hasn't reported back in."_

_"Do you know where he was going?"_

_"No, sire. He said he had a hunch on where Agent Romanoff had gone. Then he left."_

_Anger burned in Loki's eyes and fear was radiating from the guards'. Slowly, Loki walked up to the man, stopping a few feet away, and calmly stated, "You will find out what occurred and where Agent Barton is located or I will kill you and everyone you care about. Is that clear?"_

_"Yes, my King." The guard answered before fleeing Loki's presence. Unable to contain his rage he shot out a burst of magic at the couches to his right, which were the closest thing to him. A small explosion occurred and the area once nicely furbished was now mostly black with soot. Sighing, feeling a bit better, he took a deep breath and began to think – where would Agent Barton go? Or rather where would Agent Romanoff go for help?_

After thinking for a while, Loki recalled hearing one of his soldiers mention the girl had missed work yesterday and was reported to be injured. He knew from the beginning there was something about her. He couldn't help but feel she was connected to something important. The absence yesterday and injury could simply be a coincidence or it could be more. Making a decision Loki called up a guard using the communication ear device he had. Normally Loki kept it in his pocket, only taking it out and putting it in for use. Oddly enough it was Agent Barton who had explained the technology to him when they first started "working together." The elevator dinged around a minute later with a different guard there.

"Sire," the guard greeted.

"Bring me Anya Marvel." Loki ordered. One of his military men had passed along the information the informant had supplied. She may know something.

"As you command, my King," the guard responded before turning and leaving the room. Loki was sure she was connected to all of this and he would find out how.

* * *

**A/N: And so it begins *cue evil laugh*. In all seriousness this is when it starts to get heavier - darker. Don't worry sarcasm/humor will still be included. So please review/favorite/follow; You guys are my support in this so I love to hear from you!**


	27. Chapter 26: A Debt Owed

**A/N: Hey everyone. So sorry for the delay. My beta and I have been busy. Anyway, first off, I own only my OCs and plot. Secondly, THANK YOU ALL for your support, for following/favoriting, and for all the reviews:**

Alyce DreamEatter: Cool name btw and thank you!

JediTara3990:Thankyou I love TonyXPhil's relationship and them fighting. Also I do like that thought but just to let you know now Anya will not be taking the Iron Man's suit and fight Loki. Although fun thought. Maybe I'll write a one-shot/alternative ending to my story with that idea. This chapter will explain though why I don't have that as and ending.

UnCTRLblyExite: it is getting real. I hope you have your popcorn ready. Just don't choke on it.

Fairyfinder: Thank you for reviewing even though you are in a rush. Here is some more Loki for you.

Bravo (Guest): Thank you so much, seriously. My goal is to remain in character as much as possible. I ask may Beta all the time if the characterization is true to the movies. I really appreciate it. Here is your update.

**This is an intense chapter, but don't worry I added some humor. I have taken some liberties with how I think the Tesseract and Loki's scepters work. I don't read the comics so sorry to all purists out there if it is wrong. I hope you will all just go with it. Aka I've taken literary license. Enjoy, Favorite, Follow, and Review please. **

* * *

**Chapter 26 A debt owed **

*****DSB:4 Midmorning Malibu – BF *****

Bruce was tempted to bang his head against the car until he passed out. After the team had woken up, they gathered around Steve and Thor's campsite. Steve had brought out the last of the groceries he had bought the other day and everyone formed a sort of circle around it. Bruce picked up an apple and started to eat it.

They had only been awake for an hour and everyone hadn't stopped arguing. Part of it, Bruce decided, had to do with it still being the morning and no one except Agent Coulson seemed to like that. The other part was they were a time bomb. The truth was no one was sure what to do. They had no back up and were labeled as terrorists. Steve and Tony had been arging for the past twenty minutes. After letting them fight for a few moments he tried to get their attention.

"Can we just focus?" he spoke for the first time that morning. A collection of disgruntled yeses, yeahs and head nods by the others answered his question.

"What are the variables?" Bruce thought aloud. He was, after all a scientist and needed all the components clearly stated to make a formula.

"Loki has everyone in power under mind control," Tony started.

"He also has control of the Tesseract, but to what extent I do not know," Thor added.

"SHIELD has been ordered not to assist and is being monitored," Agent Coulson threw in.

"Well that's just great," Tony murmured.

"Agent Barton and Agent Romanoff are in New York, along with Anya," Steve spoke.

"Do not count Anya into this equation," Tony demanded, staring straight at Steve. He continued, "She is not," he said looking at everyone, "to be brought into this."

"Stark – none of us want her to get hurt, but she is a part of this," Steve pointed out and continued, "Agent Barton and Agent Romanoff are hiding at her place after all."

Tony looked like he was going to punch Steve when Agent Coulson intervened, "Stark, she is my sister too and I while I don't want her involved, as Captain pointed out, it's a bit too late for that." He added, "Besides, Anya would be furious if we tried to bench her on this."

Tony visually shuddered when Agent Couslon mentioned Anya being angry. Bruce couldn't help but be both excited and terrified to meet this woman sometime.

"The main issue," Bruce stated, after a moment, "is Loki's mind control."

"Right," Steve agreed, "If our men hadn't been turned by him we would have won a few days ago."

"So what are we going to do? Run around knocking people unconscious?" Tony asked frustrated

"Yeah, because that would work out well, let's just ask to see the President and render him unconscious," Bruce couldn't help but make a sarcastic reply.

"Yes, that would completely help with our image as terrorists," Steve threw in. Out of the corner of his eye, Bruce could see Agent Coulson trying not to smile. Thor, on the other hand, looked slightly confused and disinterested. Bruce's guessed it was because he didn't know the terminology of their leadership system.

"Dr. Banner, you examined Loki's scepter. How does it work?" Agent Coulson asked.

"It harnesses and runs off of the energy from the Tesseract," Bruce answered and started to brainstorm, "…if we could somehow block the energy flowing to the scepter from the Tesseract…"

Tony picked up with where Bruce left off "… then perhaps the scepter would stop working." Bruce's mind kept thinking of equations and variable. Would it actually be possible?

"I think," Bruce spoke after a moment," that just might work. We could create a transmission blocker for Tesseract energy…although…" Bruce glanced over at Tony and saw that he had the same wary expression Bruce felt on his own face.

"What is it?" Steve asked noticing both scientists' expressions.

"We would have to physically put the transmission blocker on the scepter," Tony pointed out. It took Steve and Thor a moment to figure out what Tony meant and then their faces grew more solemn than before.

Agent Coulson was the first to speak, "Why don't we focus on the problem at hand? Make the transmission blocker first and we will deal with the rest afterwards."

Tony nodded, "Good plan….so now we need to break into my house."

"What?" Steve asked, clearly confused by the switch in the conversation.

" Well technically it doesn't have to be my house, but I don't know where else we can go that has the tools for building the blocker, especially since SHIELD is ITW."

"Man of Iron, what does ITW mean?"

"In the wind, Pointbreak," Tony answered, but rolled his eyes at seeing Thor was still confused.

"No need to break into your own house Stark. I am positive Loki is having the place watched anyways," Agent Coulson started saying. Turning away from the group he headed towards the car, "Get in."

The group exchanged glances before Tony yelled, "Shot gun!" and raced towards the car. Bruce rolled his eyes at that and seeing both Thor and Steve duck and look around for an attack.

"He was claiming the front seat," Bruce explained to the men as he followed Tony. This, he decided, was going to be a long trip.

*****Afternoon NYC – AF******

Sitting at her desk, answering an email, Anya was ready for the day to be over and the chaos to calm down. So many issues kept popping up: the aliens' dead bodies, housing for displaced residents, missing people, damaged businesses, and so on. That and there was still no sign of her boss. That plus the pain from her injuries plus the additional pain from hiding her injuries and the aggravation at remembering to hide reactions to the pain equaled a horrible day. The only good news was that tomorrow she, and her crew, would be moving back into their building. Everyone, all the heads of agencies, decided the tents were no longer needed and they could operate out of their offices. Or in other words, no one wanted to pay for it any longer and everyone wanted their personal space back.

Clicking send, Anya locked down her computer and headed to the cafeteria tent. It was way past lunch time and her stomach was yelling at her. Entering she saw they were offering the same sandwiches and chips as they had the past four days. Eyeing the food she decided to go back to her desk, grab her purse and find food elsewhere.

She was about to enter the tent when she saw a quick movement and something black out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head slowly to the right she found a gun barrel pointed at her head and what looked like a mercenary holding it. His face was hard; she could tell he was willing to do anything to get paid. He was a bit taller than her. Anya could see his muscles through what looked to be a black leather outfit. What was it with bad guys and black, Anya wondered. She heard the clicks of a few guns around her and slowly raised her hands trying not to freak out.

"Anya Marvel, King Loki has demanded your presence." The gun wielding goon told her.

"Am I under arrest?"

"In a way, yes."

"Fine… I need to make a few calls first."

"Make them in the car," he ordered. The man lowered his gun and stepped forward. Tightly gripping her shoulder, thankfully not the injured one, he half spun her around and started shoving her towards the group of black SUVs.

Shoved into the black van Anya couldn't help but mentally note this had become a habit of hers. She wondered if she had a "take me captive" sign on her forehead. One thing was clear to her; when all this was over she would never buy an SUV or any black colored car. Moving slowly, to show clear intentions, she pulled out her cell phone. Work first, she decided, pulling up her contacts list and dialing Connor.

"Hello" Anya heard Connor greet after the phone had rung a few times

"Connor, I need you to get to the command tent and take over."

"Anya, ya know – " he began, but she interrupted him, " - Connor, this is serious. Our King has 'summoned' me via an armed escort and a gun in the face...If anything happens I'm putting you in charge."

"…I'll get over there now… and Anya, don't let anything happen," he answered with concern in his voice.

Anya gave a soft laugh, "I'll try."

Hanging up, she considered her options on who to call. Deciding to be rational, she called her apartment's phone number, knowing it would go to voice mail. "Hi roommates, its Anya. I may be late for dinner. I was kindly invited over to the Tower for a rather immediate and spontaneous meeting. Hopefully I will be back soon. Do me a favor and don't order Tony's Pizza for dinner. You know how that food causes you to act up. Gotta go, bye." Anya figured the super spies would understand what she meant by the message. If they didn't then SHIELD really needed to start recruiting better agents and she would question how they lived so long.

Anya saw the Tower coming up and had to resist the urge to text Tony or Coulson. If she did they would know something was up and would investigate. She knew they would do anything to help her, but that didn't mean they should. They needed to focus on defeating Loki and not focus on her.

After another few minutes, they arrived at the Tower. The brutes yanked her out of the car and pushed her towards the building. She barley stifled a yelp from the pain it caused her - stupid shoulder.

Anxiety began to build as she realized this very well could be it. The invitation she had been given hinted to her that Loki realized she knew something. She hoped he hadn't learned who she really was; although, she was surprised he didn't know by now. After all, Maria Stark's name was on her birth certificate. Sure the birth certificate had been classified, but Tony had found it easily enough. Surely one of these goons knew how to use a computer well enough to find it. Not that she was complaining. Anya realized the moment Loki found out who she was she would be either killed or used as bait and then killed, more than likely it would be the latter.

Anya was processing all of these things as the elevator took her and a few men up to the 18supth/sup floor. Anya recalled meeting Loki in this room the first time. Maybe he just really liked the balcony.

Anya figured Loki had heard the elevator ding because he was waiting a few yards from it. As the doors slid open his face was the first thing she saw. She had to resist the urge to flinch from his stare, such anger and no tolerance. Loki's eyes narrowed on her. She assumed he was taking in her bruised face. He was wearing the same outfit as before – no helmet or scepter, however, to be seen. A very small part of Anya's mind told her she was grossed out at him wearing the same clothes four days in a row; maybe aliens' clothes were sweat and dirt resistant.

The guards shoved her out of the elevator and towards Loki. When she was only a few feet away one guard shoved her down on the ground so that she now knelt at Loki's feet. As if, Anya thought, this couldn't get worse.

"Leave us," Loki commanded the guards. Refusing to remain on her knees, Anya slowly rose. Loki simply watched her.

Once on her feet, she looked him in the eye and calmly asked, "You summoned me?"

"You are to address me as my king or milord. Is that clear?" Loki corrected her. She was tempted to remind him that he deserved neither of those titles.

"Yes, milord," she allowed sarcasm to creep in her voice. "Now will you please tell me why you ordered someone to bring me here at gun point?"

There was a flash of aggravation in his eyes and Anya was surprised when she did not find herself with another bruise. He stepped closer causing Anya to flinch slightly. An action he noticed.

"How did you get this injury?" he asked in businesslike tone.

"I was attacked by a mugger yesterday," she answered keeping the same story she told Connor.

"Do not lie to me," he demanded.

Aggravation flashed across Anya's face, "I'm not lying."

His right hand shot out and tightly gripped her left shoulder. If she hadn't been stabbed there the day before, Anya supposed it would just cause her to wince. He wasn't actually gripping her that hard; however, his thumb rested right were the knife had gone in causing her to cry out loud and slightly drop to the ground as dark spots clouded her vision for a moment. She felt him pull his hand back, probably in response from her yell.

As her vision blurred and her legs started to give out on her, Anya's body reacted automatically – her hand reached out to grab the nearest object to steady itself. That object being Loki. Yes she grabbed Loki's arm.

"I'm sorry," she gasped, realizing what she had done and let go immediately. Loki seemed stunned. Wobbling she made her way around Loki to the bar stool that was only a few feet behind him and sat down.

Loki turned and looked at her, his eyes focused on her shoulder. She looked down and saw the green polo shirt was starting to turn darker in the area where her wound was. Looking back at the 'king' Anya was only slightly surprised to see blood on Loki's hand - that had been on her shoulder. What left her dazed, however, was that he walked up to her, grabbed the neckline of her shirt and tore it so that her shoulder was showing.

If anyone else had done that she would have tried to drop kick them. Since it was Loki she just froze in place. Anya was glad at that moment that she had re-wrapped the injury herself that morning. If someone else had wrapped it then he would have been suspicious. She could spin this well. Loki's eyes moved from her shoulder to her neck. She had forgotten, until that moment, the scar on her neck from where Barton held the knife to her throat.

"What happened?" Loki asked harshly.

Feeling exhausted over what had just transpired she decided to tell the truth, well some of it, "I was attacked - "

"- by a mugger?" Loki interjected.

"…no… by Agent Barton," she admitted, refusing to meet his gaze.

Loki stepped away from her and stared at her, waiting for her to continue.

"Yesterday morning, I was about to leave for work when Agent Barton showed up. He barged in and demanded to know where ….what was her name…"Anya pretended to think for a moment, "… Agent Romanoff was at. I told him I didn't know and he didn't believe me."

"He did this to you?" Loki inquired. Anya felt there was something strange in the way he asked that.

"Yes. He held a knife to my throat demanding the truth. When I gave him the same answer he hit me in the face. He asked again and I gave the same answer. That is when he stabbed me in the shoulder. When he asked again and I gave the same answer again he accepted it as the truth. He searched the apartment and left shortly after."

When she had finished speaking Loki continued to stare at her.

"I will only ask this once. Do you know the location of either Agent Barton or Agent Romanoff?"

Looking him in the eye, she answer, "I do not," and continued the sentence in her head emknow where they are at this moment. /emFor all Anya knew Barton and Natasha could be out getting groceries or headed to California. Loki seemed to contemplate if she was telling the truth or not. emCan one lie to the god of lies?/em Anya wondered.

"Very well," he spoke after a moment, "I will pretend to believe you."

"May I leave then?" she boldly asked, but quickly added on "my king."

"So quick to flee my presence?" Loki teased her. It made her feel like a mouse the cat was playing with.

"I simply have work to attend to my king." She answered honestly.

Loki gave what almost sounded to be a snort in response. "Yes I know of your very important task of assisting the weak."

Anya tried not to let the aggravation show on her face. "It is an important job. One that you already agreed to support." Something flashed in Loki's eyes that made Anya feel anxiety; she quickly, but wholeheartedly added, "Thank you for that, by the way."

Loki raised an eyebrow in question, prompting Anya to expand, "For your agreement and financial assistance to the recovery efforts, as well as ordering the military to clean up the alien bodies." Based on the look on Loki's face Anya realized she had just done herself a disservice. He seemed to have an idea and she knew in her core that it would not bode well for her.  
"If you recall, my generous assistance was provided based on the agreement that you would owe me a debt." Anya grew still and cold; his words and devious tone warning her that something ghastly was about to happen. Loki seemed to sense this and his smile deepened. "Agent Barton has gone missing, and now I require a replacement."

She could barely form words to speak. It was as if her voice was caught in caramel stuck in her throat, "A replacement?" She asked, looking down at her hands that were laying in her lap.

Loki stepped closer to her. He reached out and placed his index and middle fingers of his right hand under her chin. He gently pushed up, forcing her to meet his eyes. "You are now my slave," he informed her, his voice teeming with satisfaction.

She could hide no emotions. She could not remain rational. This man – no not a man – this monster who tried to kill her brother, who took over the U.S., and who forced her brothers and friends into hiding. This emking /emwas making her a slave. "NO!" she shouted trying to shove him back, causing the bar stool she was on to sway and pain to flare in her shoulder.

Loki moved faster than she thought possible. His right hand was suddenly around her neck lifting her off the stool. Her feet dangling in the air. She couldn't breathe. Gasping for breath, she remembered her Krav classes. Lifting her left arm up as high as she could, she wedged her left hand in the space between his thumb and neck. She quickly slammed her arm down. Astonishingly the leverage and quick motion was enough to make his hand release, causing her to drop like a heap of rags on the floor.

She wasn't on the floor for a second before she felt a sharp pain from her head yanking her upward. "Ahh!" she cried out loud, grasping tightly to the cold hand that was pulling her up by her hair. Her scalp burned. Her breaths were still coming in gasps. Her body was shaking. Once she was on her feet Loki, with his right hand still in her hair, pulled her head back, forcing her to look up at him.

"You dare try to end our agreement?" He did not shout, but the rage was clear. For some reason she would almost rather he yelled it.

"We don't have slavery here!" she argued breathlessly and continued, "Besides, why the hell would you want me? I am sure there are thousands of more qualified individuals more than willing to serve you."

At her words Loki abruptly released her. She lost balance and fell into the bar. A loud clang was heard as the bar stool behind her crashed to the ground. Thankfully she caught herself on the bar before she fell again to the ground. She was sure there would be a bruise from the table on her back tomorrow. If she lived that long. Body shaking, she used the bar to hold herself up.

Loki gave a soft and evil laugh, "Yes, but none of them made an agreement with me."

She glared at him in response. He stood straighter, if that was possible, and for a moment Anya could see the prince in his air and stance. "Anya Marvel," he declared, "You, as per our agreement, owe me a debt. That debt shall be paid by you acting as my slave until such a time I deem your debt covered. If you dare refuse I will undo the work you have done with my assistance. I will kill every person you have assisted and enslave everyone who worked with you."

His words sank into her, hooking onto her spirit and ripping it down deep into a dark abyss. She couldn't allow that to happen. She couldn't sacrifice innocent people for herself and he knew it. She waited a moment to catch her breath. Then with what little dignity she had left, she slowly lowered herself to the ground and knelt in front of him.

"Very well, my king, I will fulfill my debt by becoming your slave." She could feel his gloating look burning into her skull, but she kept her eyes down. "I have, but one request."

"What is it?"

"Please allow me a week to prepare. I must train a replacement for work."

Loki seemed to think for a moment. "You have two days. You are to report to me before sunrise the day after tomorrow. Bring whatever meager belongings you have and set all your affairs in order. If you do not come back by that time then everything is forfeit and I will hunt you to the ends of this pathetic planet."

Anya shivered at the intensity of his words. She rose from her knees. Looking him in the eye she swore, "I will return." Moving slowly around Loki, praying her body would not give up on her, she headed to the elevator. She pushed the down button and waited for the elevator to arrive. After a few seconds the elevator dinged causing her to jump. Rushing in, she hit the lobby button with zeal. She needed to get out of there. 

* * *

**A/N: So I realized when I made this plot line decision of her as a slave people may think some kinky/dirty thoughts. In regards to that look at the rating of my story and notice it is not M. I don't write smut. So if you are hoping or worried about that put it out of your minds. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the humor I slid in there. Side note, how Anya broke Loki's choke hold is the correct way to get out of a choke hold. I can't stand it in movies when people try pulling the other person's hands off his/her neck by the wrists. You have to use leverage and go for the thumbs. youtube it. Anyway please review and tell me what your think. **


	28. Chapter 27: Unbelievable Horror and Rage

**A/N: Hello everyone. Sorry for the delay, but I have a very long chapter for you today. As always I only own my plot and OCs. Thank you so much for everyone who is following/favorited. It is a huge encouragement to me. Thank you UnCTRLblyExcite for reviewing and I'm glad you liked the chapter and didn't choke on popcorn. **

**So enjoy my friends. **

* * *

**Chapter 27: Unbelievable horror and rage. **

**A/N: I realized I made a mistake in terms of the layout of Anya's apartment in chapter 23 (when Barton comes to find Romanoff). I went back and fixed that by adding a few sentences, but just to be clear her apartment has the kitchen in a separate room off the hallway just after the living room; so no open floor plan which I accidentally made it sound like in Ch 23. **

***** DSB: 4 afternoon somewhere in New Mexico– TF *****

They had been in the car for a few hours and Tony close was to losing it. While the car was designed to sit five people it was not designed to fit five superheroes, well four plus one Agent. Despite the fact that he had claimed the front seat, Tony somehow was stuck in the back between Bruce and Steve while Thor sat in front. Thor, Bruce and Steve simply couldn't fit in the back. So since Thor was the largest person he got shot gun. Totally uncool, in Tony's opinion. To make matters worse Coulson had yet to say where they were going; he only said it was back east. Plus there was no music playing.

Tony was bored beyond reason. Bruce and he had discussed calculations for the transmission blocker for a while, but they had to stop. They didn't have anything to work with. They didn't even have paper and pen. Tony had lost his phone somewhere the past few days and Coulson, the only person with a phone, refused to hand his to Stark. Tony was about to start a fight with Capsicle when JARVIS called him on his earpiece. He had taken the communication piece from his suit and kept it in his ear for the time being.

"Sir, You informed me to update you on activities in the Tower."

"What is it JARVIS?"

"Sir, Miss Marvel just appeared in the tower, surrounded by an armed escort."

"WHAT?!" Tony screamed. Everyone but Coulson jumped.

"Coulson give me your phone." Stark demanded.

"Stark, I already said – " Coulson started, but Tony interrupted.

" – damn it Coulson! It's Anya! Give me your goddam phone and pull over!"

At the name of their sister, Coulson immediately did as Tony asked. They were, thankfully, on a back road with no one around in the middle of some desert patch so pulling over wasn't an issue. Tony wasn't even sure what state they were in anymore. Coulson quickly pulled out his phone and handed it to Tony. For once Tony didn't argue about being handed something.

Using the phone's wifi capabilities, Tony connected it to the Tower and JARVIS.

"JARVIS, pull up the feed."

"Right away, sir" Tony's AI answered on speaker phone. The video popped up just in time for Anya to step out of the elevator and be shoved to the ground in front of Loki.

"JARVIS increase audio and keep the camera focused on them" Tony ordered enraged to see his little sister at Loki's feet.

"Stark tilt the screen," Coulson ordered.

Tony handed the phone to Banner who was sitting to his right. Banner held it at an angle so everyone in the car could see what was happening. They looked in horror at what transpired. They each cringed when Anya cried out in pain as Loki grasped her shoulder. They were shocked when she used Loki to steady herself and walked over to the bar stool. Every one of them literally jumped when Loki ripped her shirt. Tony was planning ways to rip the god's hands off for touching his sister. Tony was pissed to hear how Anya had been injured. She didn't tell them about that the last time they talked. She only said they had Agent Barton back.

Then when Loki mentioned a debt, Tony almost lost it. While Anya had never mentioned anything about meeting Loki, Tony had seen the video feed from JARVIS. So he knew about the "debt", but to hear that bastard bring it back up enraged him.

Tony knew what she was thinking. She was thinking of others. What happened after that, however, almost broke Tony. He was already set to jump in his suit and fly straight to the tower after the exchange so far. But to hear Loki demand she become a slave shook Tony to the core.

Tony was slightly proud at his sister's immediate rejection of Loki's demand. He was more horrified because he knew Loki would not take no for an answer. Tony physically felt pain as he watched that damn man's hand wrap around Anya's throat. Never in his life had he wished he was somewhere else more than at that moment.

He wished he was there protecting her. Seeing her drop to the ground only to be pulled up by her hair was too much. Her short scream rocked him to the core. With Loki's next words he could feel his sister's fate sealed. She would never hurt others. She always put others' wellbeing above herself. Tony knew that from the beginning. So when Loki threatened to kill everyone she helped and enslave everyone she worked with Tony knew it was over. Tony just didn't realize how much he could break by seeing what happened next; Anya willingly kneeling before that monster and agreeing to be his _slave_. A small voice in the back of his head whispered to him that this was why he shouldn't care about others; shit happened, they got hurt, and so did he.

Tony mentally gave a cheer when she asked for a week to prepare. He groaned when Loki only gave her two days, less than that actually. Tony didn't notice until Anya was on the elevator that the hand holding the phone was pulsing green. He was too caught up in his rage and watching the video to notice anything or anyone else.

"Bruce," Tony warningly called his friend's name while grabbing the phone from him. Convulsing, Bruce ripped off his seatbelt and pushed open the car door, falling outside. It seemed that was the eject button because everyone else pushed their way out of the car as well.

Bruce was losing it.

"Deep breaths, Dr. Banner," Coulson said as he approached from the other side of the car.

"Stay calm, Bruce," Cap added. Thor and Tony remained silent.

Within seconds Bruce was gone leaving a very angry Hulk who thankfully still had pants on. "Puny god hurt girl!" Hulk roared. The Hulk looked like he really wanted to smash something but the only object, besides a few cacti was the car. As he headed towards it all four men stood in the way. That was, after all, their only means of transportation.

"Hey, big guy, take it easy. I'm mad too. Furious, but smashing the car won't help anything. It will actually hurt Anya."

"Dr. Banner, we are all angry, but smashing things won't help at this point." Coulson added.

"Man promised to protect girl!" Hulk shouted and let out a roar of frustration.

Thankfully, he did stop moving towards the car. The Hulk's statement surprised everyone. "Hey big guy, I know you want to help, but right now I need the man. Anya needs Banner. Later, she will need you. When it's time you can come and play, but right now it's not time." Tony tried to reason with the Hulk, who in his opinion was an overgrown five year old.

"Hulk angry!" Tony couldn't help but mumble "no kidding'.

"Hulk," Cap spoke, his voice radiating authority, "stand down. You can help later, but not right now."

The Hulk seemed to consider Captain's command. Letting out another roar he slammed his fists down into the ground. After a moment the Hulk shifted to back into Bruce - a rather exhausted and almost naked Bruce who was holding the shreds of his pants around his waist.

Capsicle was he first to react. He walked over to the trunk of the car and opened it up. He pulled out a duffle bag and handed it to Bruce.

"Here you go Dr. Banner."

"Thanks Captain, and it's Bruce by the way."

"Then call me Steve."

"Okay," Tony loudly interjected, "Now that we are on a first name basis can we focus? My sister is about to become a slave!"

*****ATST in NYC AF*****

Anya caught a glimpse of her reflection in the elevator doors as they closed. Her appearance, she decided, was equal to how she felt - defeated and shitty. Her work polo was torn at the shoulder revealing her bandaged wound with blood seeping through. Her neck was starting to turn purple in various spots. She had no doubt there would be a visible hand print tomorrow. Her hair, which had been put in a pony tail that morning, resembled a bird's nest. Add to that her shaking body and bruised face. Yeah there was no way she was going back to work that day. Quite honestly she was surprised she wasn't going into shock yet. Maybe it would come later. Then again, with everything that had happened so far – aliens invading, brothers dying and coming back from the dead- maybe she wouldn't.

Anya was heading to the subway when she realized her purse, which had her money, keys and metro card, were all at the CT. There was no way she could go there considering her appearance. Leaning against a random building she dug her phone out of her jean pocket and called Connor.

"Anya are you alright?" Connor asked, tone filled with concern, before she could say anything.

Anya struggled to speak, "No. I'm not."

"What happened? Where are you?"

"Connor could you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Could you please bring my purse to Columbus Circle? I'll wait for you at the corner of Broadway and 59th."

"Of course! I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Thank you." She told him before hanging up and continuing to walk north to the subway. The only people in that area were military and recovery workers. When she was walking she actually had one military woman ask if she needed help. Wow, a New Yorker asking a stranger if they were okay and wanted help, that was a rarity. She refused the officer, saying she was fine, before continuing her short walk.

Either Connor had sped or she had walked extremely slowly because he was there waiting for her by the time Anya made it to the meeting point. He was standing by a grey H² recovery van looking around for her. When he saw her, his eyes widened in surprise and concern. It was nice, Anya decided, to have people care about you. He handed Anya her purse when she walked up to him, but stayed silent.

"Thank you," she said.

"Anya, what – " Connor started, but Anya interrupted holding up her hand. " Connor, not now. Sorry, but not now. I will explain at the office tomorrow. Please call everyone and set up a meeting for 9am. Okay?"

Connor just nodded. "Do ya want a lift?" he offered her.

"Sure. Thanks" she said accepting the offer.

The drive back to her apartment was silent except for when she gave him directions on where to turn. Within twenty minutes they had arrived at her apartment. Getting out she waved her hand in thanks before entering her building. Thank the Lord there is an elevator, Anya thought as she went up to her apartment.

As she stepped into her apartment, after unlocking the door, she was met with a gun in her face. Not again, was all she could think. The gun was quickly lowered as Natasha realized who had entered.

"Feeling cautious?" Anya joked as the red head had gone completely still taking in Anya's appearance. Anya shut the door and waited for the red head to respond.

"Who is it?" Barton asked coming down the hallway after he stepped out of one of the rooms. Barton's eyes went wide upon seeing Anya. Walking forward he stood next to his partner.

"Wow, you look like hell," Barton told Anya.

"Thanks," Anya sarcastically replied, moving around the two assassins and into her bed room. She dropped her purse, grabbed a change of clothes – her favorite Iron Man T-shirt and black capri sweat pants – and headed to the bathroom. She looked down the hall and could see the two assassins were still standing by the door looking at her.

Anya sighed, "I'll tell you after I get cleaned up."

They both nodded. Before she entered the bathroom she added, "Oh and please call in some take out. My credit card is in my purse." Truth be told Anya wasn't hungry but she knew she should eat something and by the time it arrived maybe she would be.

Showering injured was difficult and painful just like her life right now. It was fitting, Anya decided, not to have one simple or pleasant thing right now. Getting dressed after a rather rushed shower, she decided she was thankful that at least she wasn't alone right now. Natasha was a friend. Barton was…well a possible friend. That friendship would take some time. The guy had fought her twice and had left her injured both times.

After re-bandaging her knife wound, with the first aid kit she had left in the bathroom this morning; she slipped on her shirt and left the restroom. She stopped by her bedroom first, throwing her clothes in a hamper and grabbing her cell phone, slipping it in her pocket, before walking into the kitchen. Both assassins were sitting at the table and watched as she entered the room.

"Coffee is in the pot," Natasha told Anya as she entered the room. Anya nodded her head in response and moved to get a mug from the cupboard. She pulled out her favorite- a handcrafted ceramic mug that was painted a mix of green and blue colors – and filled it with the liquid gold. Anya hesitated staring at the kitchen chair. Deciding this might be a long conversation she left the kitchen and went into the living room. Settling in the small recliner - feet curled up beneath her and mug in hand- she waited for the assassins to settle; they had followed her out of the kitchen and were sitting on the small couch next to the recliner.

Anya didn't know where to start. So she took a sip of coffee and hoped one of them would ask a question. After a moment Natasha did, "Anya," she called her name gently, "start from the beginning."

"I was at work," Anya began, staring down at her mug, "when a military man held a gun to my face and told me Loki had summoned me. So for the third time in my life I was shoved in a black SUV." She took a sip of coffee. Looking up at Natasha and Barton she said, "Do me a favor and if we live through this, make sure SHIELD never sends a black SUV to pick me up."

Both assassins gave her a light smile and Barton nodded, "Sure kid."

"Thanks," Anya said before continuing. "Anyway, Loki wanted to know where you were Barton. He figured I knew that was why he 'summoned me'. He asked me that later though. He…he saw my bruise and asked me what happened. I told him I was attacked by a mugger. He didn't believe me." Anya took another sip of coffee and felt relief as the warm and comforting drink filled her. "He grabbed my shoulder, I guess to intimidate me, but it made me almost pass out because he hit the wound…. He saw blood on his hand and ripped my shirt showing the wound." She paused for a moment. "He demanded to know what happened and I told him it was you Barton. I obviously changed the events slightly, but he knows you were here. I told him you left after I told you I didn't know where Natasha was for the third time."

"Did he buy it?" Barton questioned her, concern in his voice.

"I don't know," she answered honestly, "he said, and I quote 'let's pretend like I believe you.'"

"What happened next?" Natasha inquired after Anya had been silent for a few moments.

"I dug my own grave," Anya answered bitterly looking at her mug that she was gripping tightly. Glancing up she saw both Natasha and Barton looked confused and concerned.

"Barton did you tell Natasha about my previous visit with Loki?" Anya asked. Barton just shook his head.

"Well, Natasha, the day after the battle I had a little chat with our new dictator."

"Why didn't you mention this before?" Natasha asked sharply.

"Don't be aggravated. I haven't even told Tony." The red head just motioned with her hands for Anya to continue. "Well immediately after the battle we, my organization and other groups, went into action helping those affected. Loki was informed of this, I am guessing, and demanded that the leader to be brought to him."

"And that leader is you?" Natasha inquired.

Anya nodded, " Yes…. So long story short I convinced him to let us continue relief effort, but the price was I owed him a debt."

"Shit" Barton cursed while Natasha said something in Russian that Anya didn't catch.

Anya took another long drink of her coffee and sought the words she needed. It was harder to talk about this than she had expeced, Anya realized. A small part of her didn't want to speak anymore and just shut down; the larger part, however, realized not only did these people deserve and need to know what happened but that it was good to talk about this.

"So anyway," Anya continued after a moment, her voice quieter and speaking at a slower pace, "I asked if I could go back to work and that led the conversation to where he remembered my debt…..he said that since Barton was gone he required a replacement."

"No" Barton softly cried out.

Anya looked up at him and gave a small nod before sharing her fate. "He is making me his slave." Barton was on his feet at those words.

"No! I won't let it happen." Barton sounded determined.

"Clint – sit down. She's not done." Natasha firmly told her partner.

"The hell she isn't. Nat, we can't let this happen."

"And we won't," Natasha promised Barton.

"You will." Anya spoke loudly glaring at the two.

"Excuse me? You want to be a slave to a psychopath?" Barton questioned her, his voice tight and filled with anger.

"Shut it Barton. Of course I don't, but it's not just about me."

Barton looked ready to argue, but Natasha shot him a look that told him to be quiet. "Finish," Natasha told Anya and then sat back down. After a moment, and a glare from Natasha, Barton sat as well.

"My reaction was yours," Anya said looking at Barton. "This," she said pulling the color of her t-shirt down and tilted her head up so that the bruising on her neck was evident, "was his response to my rejection."

"Anya, you're safe now. We will get you out of the city and to Stark and Coulson," Natasha told the girl. Clearly she thought Anya's fear for her life was her reason for agreeing.

"No, I can't leave," Anya said sternly.

"Why not?" Barton asked clearly angry.

Anya closed her eyes and took a deep breath before answering, "If I don't become his slave then my debt is unpaid and our deal is forfeit. He said he would 'undo' my work….He…he promised to kill everyone we helped and enslave everyone I worked with." Anya could feel the tears spilling over her eyes. The gravity and the hopelessness of it all hit her anew when she told them. She opened her eyes when she felt a light hand on her arm. It was Natasha. Barton was sitting on the couch his hands in his head.

"It's not your fault," Anya told Barton after seeing how he was sitting.

"The hell it's not," he spoke into his hands

"Barton – it is better me than you."

Barton's eyes shot up looking at Anya, "What?"

"Barton, the Avengers need you, both of you, to fight, to beat Loki. Me? I'm just a recovery worker. My job can and will be passed to someone else."

"Anya," Natasha told her, "You are important."

Anya gave a small sad smile to her friend for still standing by her, "Thank you for saying that, but it's not true…. At least some good will come out of this."

"What good can come out of this?" Baron asked angrily.

"I'll be able to spy on Loki. I will be able to pass information on to you guys."

"You really think Stark or Coulson, or us for that matter is going to let you do this?" Barton asked Anya.

Anya put down her almost empty mug on the coffee table in front of her and sat up straight. "Listen to me clearly," she began staring at the two assassins, "No one is going to stop this from happening. The only way you could would be by tying me up and kidnapping me." Barton's facial expression seemed to say 'that is a valid option.' So Anya continued, "If you do that Barton, or Natasha, then _you_ will be responsible for ending hundreds of people's lives. You would be responsible. Do you really want that on your conscience?" Both Natasha's and Barton's faces grew long and heavy at her declaration. Thankfully just at that moment the buzzer went off. Anya got up and went over to the door. She hit a button to let the delivery driver in.

Glancing over her shoulder she saw both assassins still standing there. "Shoo, go hide in the kitchen," she told them as she waited for the delivery driver to arrive. About five minutes later Anya had tipped the driver and was walking into the kitchen with the Chinese food. Everyone was silent as she passed out the food: Honey Chicken for Anya, Dim Sum Buns and stir fried vegetables for Natasha, leaving Shrimp Lo Mein for Barton.

Natasha was the first to break the silence, "Anya, one more question and then I promise we don't have to discuss what happened anymore."

"What is it?" she slowly asked before taking a bite of food.

"If Loki said you would be his slave, then why are you here? Or rather why did he let you go?"

Anya swallowed the bit of food in her mouth and took a sip of coke before answering,

"I'm here because I asked. I asked for a week to take care of the transition at work. He gave me less than two days. I have to be at the Tower with 'my affairs in order' before sunrise the day after tomorrow."

"Well that doesn't give us much time," Barton stated, mouth full of food.

"No it doesn't," Anya whispered more to herself than the others before taking another bite of food.

The rest of the meal was filled with a tired silence – not uncomfortable but just exhausted. Anya was washing dishes when Natasha spoke, "You know you are going to have to tell everyone else."

"Yeah, because there is no way in hell I am facing Coulson's wrath when he finds out." Barton added.

Anya smirked at that comment. Not because she didn't believe him but just the opposite. Sure she had only known her brothers for a few months, but they had grown close in that time. She had no doubt they would do anything to help her and they would destroy anyone who tried to hurt her.

Just then Anya's phone vibrated. Setting the last plate on the drying rack, Anya wiped her hands on a towel before taking her phone out of her pocket. It was from Tony and read: Skype now, with Birdy and Red too.

Anya sighed. "Well," she told the assassins, "time to face the music." She left them looking slightly confused as she went into her bedroom and grabbed her computer.

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**A/N: Hope you all enjoyed the Hulk coming in, well and the Tony time. Gotta say I love writing him, but then again I am a snarky individual myself. I know he doesn't say much in Avenger movie but I wanted to add a bit. Review tell me what you think of it. Of course I would love it if you would review period, favorite or follow. Especially follow. I am so close to 50 followers, it would be awesome to hit that mark. **


	29. Chapter 28: Decision

**A/N: First things first, I only own my OCs and Plot. **

**Secondly, Big Fan (Guest): Thank you! I'm glad you are enjoying the story and how I have it set up. Everyone being connected is the whole point of this so I am glad someone likes it. **

**Big thank you to my wonderful Beta for editing. Please review/favorite/follow. Now enjoy some family time. **

* * *

**Chapter 28: A decision. **

****DSB:4 middle of the afternoon NYC- LF****

If Loki was honest with himself, the decision to make the mortal leader, Anya, a slave was more of a whim than anything else; although, she knew something of importance and his spies were useless; thus, having her close by made sense. When he agreed to assist with the 'recovery' work, he insisted she would owe a debt because it is always handy to have people indebted. Then with Barton gone and her mention of work the idea just came to him. A small, very small, part of him flinched at the thought that he had caused her pain; however, she needed to be taught obedience – like a dog needs to know the hand of its master.

It was a good decision, Loki decided. He had seen how efficient she was at running her organization. It would be interesting to see how she adapted to serving him. That was assuming she would come back. He let her go as a test. If she failed it then he would either kill her or turn her using his scepter. He did wonder to himself why he hadn't used the scepter to begin with; probably because it was more entertaining to allow her to continue to grasp at the ridiculous obsession with freedom. Anyway, if she made a mistake or he found that she knew more than she had told him, then he would turn her, use her and kill her. Simple as that.

****ATST in NYC- AF****

"We saw everything," Tony said immediately when the Skype call started. After Tony had texted her about Skype, she grabbed her computer and the assassins and set up in the living room. Through the computer, Anya could see Phil sitting by Tony and the rest of the guys huddled behind them. The screen was so small that she could only tell that they were outside but not exactly where.

Hearing Tony say that and seeing the look on everyone's faces, Anya couldn't help but feel...guilty...and dirty. She knew that it wasn't her fault, but to know that her brothers and her friends saw her kneel to that monster and agree to be a slave was horrifying. It was almost worse than living through it the first time. She felt so much shame.

At that sentence Anya felt tears fall down her face. It was too much for her. She passed the laptop over to Natasha who was sitting on her left, Barton on the other side of her. Muttering, "Give me a moment" Anya ignored whoever was crying her name as she ran to the restroom.

Holding onto the small sink, she tried to stop the tears from flowing and sobs coming out. She could only think of how they had seen her like that – so weak and pitiful. After a few moments and deep breaths, she was able to push back the tears. She held them back by the reminder that this might be the last time she would see her brothers' faces. She didn't know how much time she would have left with them. She could not afford to waste it. After washing her face and blowing her nose she left the restroom.

Walking into the living room, where Natasha and Barton were still sitting on the couch with her laptop, she could hear Natasha giving them an update on the past two days. She arrived to hear Tony threaten to beat the shit out of Barton for injuring his sister so badly.

Trying to lighten everything she spoke, "Don't worry Tony, I landed a few hits on him. So no need to injure him further." Barton and Natasha looked up at her as spoke. Both were smirking at her comment.

"Anya? I can't see you."

Anya rolled her eyes. "Give me a minute," she told Tony. She gestured Natasha to scoot over so she could sit between the assassins again. Taking the laptop and putting it in her lap she looked once again at her concerned family.

"I'm sorry," she began.

Phil shook his head, "It's understandable. You've been through a lot."

"We're going to get you through this kid." Tony added.

Anya gave a small sad smirk, "Kid?"

Tony rolled his eyes and smiled, clearly happy about her teasing, "You know what I mean."

She smiled back, "I do…" Her smile however was short lived, "Tony, Phil there's nothing you can do though."

"The hell there isn't" Tony protested and continued, " We are – "

Anya quickly interrupted him, " – stop Tony. I can't know your plans." Tony looked slightly confused as did everyone else. "There is no guarantee that he won't find out who I am and torture me for information or decide to mind control me for whatever reason. Truth be told I am surprised he hasn't yet." Understanding filled every Avengers face. Anya could feel Barton tense beside her at the mention of mind control.

"I get that, but…"Tony spoke but his voice dropped off and Anya finished his sentence.

"But you want to give me hope. Right?" Tony nodded; she knew her brother. "My hope is not in some plan, but in you. Each of you," she said looking at each Avenger, including the two next to her. "Same as it is for everyone in the world. I know that sounds corny but it's true. I believe in each of you and I literally trust you all with my life."

"We won't let you down," Phil swore and everyone else nodded their heads in agreement.

"I know you won't." Then she continued, trying to lighten the mood, "But whatever you have planned I would appreciate it being done quickly. I don't want to be a slave for long."

"We'll move quickly," Phil promised.

"Yeah because we were totally planning on taking our time and letting Loki rule this world for a while," Tony added sarcastically. Anya rolled her eyes. Biting her lower lip she tried to figure out the best way to say what was on her mind.

"Anya, what is it?" Steve asked, speaking for the first time.

" I…I want you to promise, well this really falls on you Tony, that you won't watch me through JARVIS."

"What?" Tony sputtered out.

"That is how you saw what happened, right? I …" tears were filling her eyes, she fought them back and tried to keep her voice calm as she continued, " I can't stand the thought of you seeing me like that…as a slave."

"But Anya –" Tony started and she once again interrupted him.

"- No Tony. Have JARVIS give up updates that I am alive, but that's it. You, all of you, can't lose focus right now. I can't lose focus right now. If I get injured – or anything else happens - I know it will affect you. I…I won't forgive myself I cause you guys to get injured because of me." Everyone stayed silent for a while, contemplating what she said.

"Please… promise me," she begged her family.

Tony looked almost like he was choking, but after a moment he agreed, "I promise, but if I don't hear from you every day I am turning the feed on."

Anya gave a small smile, that was so like her brother always arguing, "After three day," she bartered.

"Fine," Tony exhaled.

"The rest of you promise too," she told all the Avengers and they all agreed. There was a tense silence before Anya decided to ask the last question that had come to mind when she was crying in the bathroom.

"Thor?" she asked the demigod whose head was barely visible to the left of Phil.

"Yes Lady Anya," he answered

"…I am guessing you had slaves on Asguard?" she started and Thor's brows furrowed, most likely from wondering where this was going.

"Mostly servants, but yes there is slavery on Asguard," he answered cautiously.

Anya stopped herself from biting her lip and forced herself to keep looking at Thor's face. "How…how did Loki treat his slaves?" She wanted and didn't want to ask that question just as she wanted and didn't want to know that answer.

At her question Thor cringed, causing a pit to form in Anya's stomach. When he didn't answer right away she pressed him, "Thor, please, I need to know."

The large man let out a sigh and his eyes looked at her full of pity, "For the most part he seemed to ignore them, but it was not uncommon, as the years progressed, for the slaves that attended him to have an injury or two."

Anya felt cold. She was doomed. She closed her eyes and tried to control her thoughts. Maybe it would be different… maybe…. no, probably not. When she opened her eyes she could see everyone was watching her with concern. "Thank you, Thor, for answering my question."

"Little bird what are we going to do?" Tony muttered silently to himself.

****DSB: 5 mid morning – AF ****

Anya poured the last bit of her coffee in her mouth before setting the mug back down on her desk. It was her third cup. It had been a long night. It had been a long yesterday. A long few days in fact. Anya sighed and wondered if it was ever going to get easier. Probably never, Anya decided as her laptop dinged noting the arrival of yet another email. Cringing at the number of emails she had, Anya went back to work. She was, besides dealing with the normal work load, trying to organize things for Connor who would be taking over for her.

The meeting where she told her team she was leaving had gone fairly well. She couldn't let her team think she was just abandoning them, so she gave a half truth. She had promised the King a favor in return for the funding and assistance. Now he lost a worker and she was going to help him out for a while. The timing was terrible, but he was the leader and she owed him. They all understood. They knew how seriously she took her promises. Although, Anya reflected, that, Connor and Mike had reacted oddly. Mike seemed relieved while Connor seemed almost jealous of her new work. Oh well, they probably had their reasons, Anya figured.

There was still no news about her boss, so Connor was the lead. The man hated the work, but he was the only one ready for the position. Neither Marcus nor John wanted to lead and while Mike wanted to take the lead, he wasn't at Connor's level yet. Trying not to think of the situation she was leaving her team in, Anya focused on the task at hand. This was her last day as a free woman. No, she couldn't think like that. This was just…she didn't know what to call it, but she refused to think of it as the end of anything.

Anya mentally checked herself and focused on work. Like how she was going to tell the other heads of organizations she was leaving her position tomorrow to work for the new King. Everyone was going to see her as a traitor, she realized. Mentally groaning she was glad when Connor came into her office with a question clear on his face. Ahh distractions, such wonderful things, Anya thought.

****ATST – NYC – NF ****

"This isn't good Nat," Clint gently commented to Natasha. They were both sitting in Anya's kitchen drinking a cup of coffee. The blue eyed girl herself had long since gone to work. After a rather late night of planning with the team, both Natasha and Clint had opted to sleep in.

Natasha sighed at Clint's comment, her hands wrapped around the blue mug for warmth.

"What else are we going to do Clint?" Natasha questioned back.

"Something – anything" her partner replied, frustration clearly in his tone.

" We can't do anything right now – not only would it be suicide for us but for the nation. We need Banner and Stark to create the device so we can attack Loki without government repercussions. We can't kidnap Anya or a lot of people will be taken out."

"So we let her sacrifice herself to a psychopath. You heard Thor. The bastard injured his slaves. Who knows what he will do to her."

Natasha didn't answer. She knew from firsthand experience what it was like to be a slave. That was what she was to the Red Room. She didn't know it at the time. Nor has anyone, including herself used, that word, but it didn't make it any less true. She had been forced into an assassin's life as a child. She had been at the mercy of her handlers as Anya would be at Loki's. There was no telling what that demigod would do to her.

Natasha only knew that Anya would never be the same afterwards. Assuming there was an afterwards. Natasha wanted to argue with herself that Anya would make it out alive and okay, that all of them would walk away from this. But Natasha couldn't and wouldn't do that. It was false hope that could lead to foolish choices and waste lives. She would analyze everything and try to remain detached. Well as detached as possible. She would enjoy taking Loki down – after Clint and now Anya. That slimy green git had it coming.

"Agg!" Clint shouted out loud. Natasha didn't move a muscle. Clint could be impatient and emotional at times. This time there was an obvious reason why – it was personal. Clint smoothly stood up from the small table, and dumped his mug into the sink.

"We should do something," he told Natasha as he leaned against the counter.

"Clean your mug and put it back," Natasha told him in a flat voice

"What?'

"Clean the mug and put it back. It has to look like one person lives here," she reminded him.

Clint rolled his eyes, but did as his partner suggested. As he was washing the dishes he looked at her, "I'm serious, Nat. I need to do something other than sit around here."

Natasha sighed, "Shut it Clint. It's one more day. Tomorrow morning we'll leave to meet the team. Till then we sit tight."

"There has to be something to do," Clint whined. God the man was like a five year old at times, Natasha felt.

"We can't do anything that might attract the attention of the neighbor or damage the apartment," Natasha reminded him.

"So… I can sit here for the rest of the day."

"You can. I," Natasha stated standing up and handing her glass to Clint to clean, "am going to do some basic exercises and then box up some of Anya's stuff."

"What?"

Seriously, the man was clueless Natasha felt, "Anya has to put everything in storage tonight. Why do you think she was up late packing? She didn't ask for help because I'm injured and you're recovering."

"Oh"

Ignoring Clint after that point, Natasha left the kitchen and went into the guest bedroom she was using. True to her word, Natasha started exercising, careful to make no noise and not to rip her stitches. In reality, she was feeling just as impatient as Clint to be off, but there was no point. They would only arrive at the rendezvous point early if they left now. Also, Anya needed them to be there tonight.

**** ATST Somewhere in Oklahoma- SF****

It was all a mess. That was the conclusion Steve came to as he watched the scenery change out the window. He had been stuck in the small car for hours; squished in the backseat with Stark and Banner. Everyone had long since gone silent; their minds racing.

Steve felt angry and slightly bitter. He was just getting used to life in NYC. He was actually working his courage up to ask Anya on a date. Now he might never have the chance. He doubted they would make it out of this. Though he was damn sure Anya would. Steve didn't know how, but he was going to save her. If any of them deserved to survive this it was her.

*****ATST - BF*****

Bruce was used to traveling. Being stuck in the backseat, with Tony and Steve sitting behind Thor, wasn't pleasant, but it wasn't the worst he had endured by far. Still despite all the traveling in the past, all the secrecy, hiding from the government, and trying to live on edge, nothing had strained him like this trip. They couldn't arrive at their destination fast enough. Tony and he needed to start working, but could do nothing in the car. They couldn't take a flight because of the government nor could they use any other means of transportation. So the slow car ride was the only option.

Bruce tapped his fingers lightly against the car door's arm rest, revealing his impatience. He looked left at his new colleague and quite possibly friend. To say Tony was tense was an understatement. It looked like Agent Coulson wasn't much better, Bruce decided looking at the driver. Actually no one looked okay. It seemed the blue eyed girl had impacted them all. All of them wanted to stop the future.

_Jim's eyes grew serious, "…although if you can, protect my girl." _

_Looking him in the eye, Bruce nodded his head. "I promise," he told Jim._

Bruce blinked, coming out of the flashback. Those words, his promise, kept echoing in his head. He stopped tapping the door as his hand formed a fist. He had to keep his promise.

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**A/N: Dun Dun Dun! And so it begins. Next chapter. Reviews make my day and follows/favorites make my week. Just saying. **


	30. Chapter 29: Time

**A/N: Hello Everyone! As always I only own my OCs and plot. Also a big shout out to my beta. Love her. Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate it! So mainly to my American readers. Random shout out to my two readers in Nigeria and two in the Republic of Korea. Thank you everyone who has followed (45 people! So exciting!) and favorited (27!). It means a lot to me. **

**Also thank you for everyone who has reviewed: **UnCTRLblyExcite: There is a lot coming and I hope you enjoy. Nihlo(Guest): Thank you! I always appreciate every review but I agree that I love it when people add some substance to them. I'm glad you like Anya, and that you think everyone is in character; that has been one of my main goals. Sorry you hate suspense, here is a chapter. NancyDfan: Technically you reviewed on chapter 1, but since I am posting 29 you get your comment here. Thank you I thought giving her the name Marvel was rather clever. And I am glad.

**Now this is where the anxiety will begin. Suspense will only build so don't hold your breath. Seriously, keep breathing. Trigger-warning: violence/torture/abusive language (italicize section). **

**Enjoy...and review/favorite/follow if you feel so inclined**

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**Chapter 29: Time **

****DSB: 6 extremely early morning – AF (warning for violence, torture, and abuse)****

_Pain exploded through the left side of Anya's body as the mercenary punched her in the stomach. She fell to the floor in pain. The man had been beating her for what seemed like forever. She was in a small cell of some sort. There was a small cot up against the opposite wall. To the right of her was a sink and a toilet. On the wall to her left there was nothing but on the wall to her right was the door. Her body was shaking from the beating. In the beginning she had tried to block his punches, but he was too fast. She also couldn't escape because her 'Master' had ordered her to stay. _

_"Worthless bitch," the man spat while the few watching him laughed. She couldn't see any of their their faces, but they all seemed to have the same build._

_"Get up," the man ordered. When she was slow to comply he grabbed her arm and yanked her off the ground. Slamming her against the wall, causing pain to spread thought her head and back, he sneered in her face._

_"I don't get why he took you. You are worthless."_

_"Jealous?" she mocked the guard. She refused to let these goons win. A burn followed by stinging filled the left side of her face. He had slapped her. Tasting blood in her mouth she spat in his face. _

_"Ugg!" he shouted and immediately let go of her, causing her to fall on the ground. _

_"Can't handle one bitch Jack?" one of the men mocked her attacker._

_Anya let out a breathless laugh. _

_"Shut up, Luke," the attacker, Jack, shouted behind him before glaring down at her. _

_"Are we done here? The game is coming on soon," another one of the goons asked. _

_"Not yet," Jack answered harshly. "Loki ordered us to break her in."_

_"Well, you've beaten on her for over three hours. She hasn't even cried out or begged once yet," the first man, Luke, stated mockingly. _

_"So, we need to change tactics," he decided. After a moment the look on his face went from contemplating to gleaming. _

_"Loki only told us not to kill her right?" Jack asked his companions, eyes still on her though. The two other men confirmed his question. "Good," was all he said._

_Then there was darkness._

_ Anya felt relieved when she found she was no longer in the cell. She didn't want to know what happened next. The relief was soon gone as she found herself back in Stark Tower. All the Avengers were tied up, gagged and kneeling on the floor facing her. They were defeated. Tony and Phil were in front of her, Bruce to the left, followed by Steve. Then Thor, Natasha and Clint were on to her right. _

_Anya held a gun in her hand. It was pointed at Tony's head. _

_"Goodbye brother," she heard herself say in a cheerful tone. She felt the heavy gun in her hand and as she pulled the trigger. Tony fell onto his side. Blood was pouring out of his forehead. She continued to shoot every single one of them in the head._

_"Good work, my love," she heard a silky smooth voice whisper in her ear. The whisper was followed by firm but cold hands on her shoulders. She leaned back into the man behind her. _

_"Why thank you," she replied as the man kissed the space between her shoulder and neck, his black hair coming into her view. His strong hands spun her around. Loki smiled at her, his hands now on her waist. She reached and put her arms around his neck, gun still in hand, smiling back at him. He leaned his head down and kissed her soundly, both of them ignoring the blood gathering in a pool around them._

Anya woke up screaming. In a panic she looked around her room. Her sheets were tangled around her body, which was covered in sweat. There was no light coming from her window, and the boxes were casting shadows on the wall.

The door burst open, light pouring in from the hallway, followed by the shape of a man. "Anya – "he started to say, concern in his voice, but Anya's scream cut him off. She pushed herself further away from his shape. He was built just like the men in her dream. At her screaming the man came to sudden halt.

"What is it?!" a woman's voice commanded. At the sound of another female, Anya stopped screaming.

"I don't know," he answered. He took a step towards her and Anya, fear cast in her eyes, tried to move farther away from him. Her whole body was shaking and sobs starting to come from her mouth.

"Clint leave," said the woman who had entered the room and was standing next to the man. He did as she said.

"Anya, I'm going to turn on the light okay?" the woman asked her. Anya nodded, relieved the man was gone. As light filled the room Anya saw the woman was Natasha, meaning the man was Barton. It was just a dream. She was awake. Images from the dream came back to her. Pulling her legs up against her chest, Anya buried her head into them and cried.

Anya felt the bed sink slightly beside her. After a few moments she stopped crying and looked up to see a very concerned Natasha sitting on her bed to the left of her.

"I'm sorry Natasha," she choked out.

Natasha shook her head, "It's okay." She passed Anya a box of tissues; in a haze, Anya wondered where she got from. "What happened?" Natasha asked as Anya took a tissue and blew her nose.

"It was a nightmare," she answered simply in a broken voice.

"Anya, it helps to talk about it."

Anya sighed and looked into her friend's eyes that were shining with concern. Speaking slowly she revealed her dream, "I was in a cell being beaten by Loki's men…he told them to 'break me in'…when the beating didn't work.." Anya struggled to speak. She could see the dream clearly in her eyes, "…they started to talk about what to do…and…the look in his eyes…" Anya started shaking.

Natasha looked like she was going to speak, but Anya cut her off, "that wasn't it…the dream changed before he…I was in the tower…all of us were there… I killed all of you and I was _happy _about it…then Loki told me I did well and I kissed him…there was blood at our feet Natasha, but I was totally fine with it…" Anya was shaking at this point and looking at her lap. Natasha was wrong, speaking about it didn't help.

"Anya it was just a dream," the red head assured her

"But it may not be," Anya responded. Natasha just stared at her, "We don't know what…what he will do to me…he… I …I don't want to hurt anyone."

"Do you blame Clint for attacking you?"

"..No.."

"Why?"

"Because it wasn't him."

"Exactly. If something happens and you are turned it won't be you. We know that."

Both woman were silent for a few moments. Anya whispered, "I'm scared."

Natasha let out a small sigh, "And we are scared for you. I won't lie to you Anya. This will change you. I … I was basically a slave at one time." Natasha's words caused Anya to look back up at the assassin. Surprise filled her. Natasha was staring at her hands while she was speaking, "No one used that terminology, but that was what happened. I had things done to me…I did things that will haunt me forever…but they make up who I am now." Natasha met Anya's gaze, "You will survive this. Then afterwards you will learn how to take it and use it to make yourself stronger."

Anya let the red head's words sink it. They weren't comforting words per se but they were comforting to hear.

"And you'll help me?" her question was meek. Anya didn't like asking for help, but she knew she would need it at this point.

"I promise."

Anya let out a sigh, feeling the tension gone, "Thanks, Natasha."

Natasha gave her a small smile before standing up and setting the tissue box on the dresser next to Anya's bed. "Anytime, get some sleep. You have to leave in a few hours."

Anya nodded and laid back down on the bed, "Natasha, tell Clint I'm sorry. He…he just looked like…" she didn't finish the sentence.

"Don't worry about it," the assassin told her turning off her light and closing the door as she left.

After Natasha left and the room was dark, Anya felt the fear creep back towards her. She couldn't do this to herself, she decided. Reaching for her cell phone, which was laying on the nightstand next to the tissue box, she saw the time: 1:35 am. She only had a few more hours to sleep. A few more hours in this apartment that had housed her for a year. A few more hours to be free. It was almost too much.

On impulse she dialed Phil's number. The phone rang for a few moments before she heard her brother's voice.

"Anya? Are you okay?" he sounded alert. She wondered where he was, but dared not ask.

Anya was about to lie but decided not to, "Not really," she said in a raspy voice; her throat dry from crying.

"What's wrong?" he asked lightly, but seriously.

"I just had a really bad dream."

"Anya," Phil replied. There was such tenderness and sensitivity in his voice Anya almost started crying again.

"I'm sorry for calling Phil…I…"

"Never apologize for calling. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No… how is everyone?"

Phil gave a light chuckle, "They are as well as can be expected. All of them are completely passed out in the car. Stark is even drooling a little." Anya gave a weak laugh at that thought. "Do you want me to wake him?" Phil always was considerate.

"No…I should actually go back to sleep. I…I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Anya, I never had the chance to tell you before, but, I do love you. I am glad you're my sister. I couldn't ask for anyone better." Anya smiled at her brother's corniness.

"Thank you. I feel the same way." Anya paused for a moment, "Phil…if anything happens to me – " she started, but Phil interrupted.

"Nothing is going to happen."

"Please Phil, let me finish. You don't know what will happen. I won't know. Just, whatever happens know I love you, you and Tony both. I care for all of you."

Phil tried to speak, "Anya – "

"I'm not done. I…I want you to promise me something. If I am turned by Loki or something happens and you have to choose between me and someone else, even if it's yourself, I want you to promise me you won't choose me."

Phil sounded tired and his words came out broken, "Anya, I… I can't do that."

"Phil, you were willing to give your life for the greater good. I need you to give me the same option."

"Anya – " he was about to start, but Anya refused to let him so she interrupted again,

"Phil, I'm going to go. I love you brother."

"I love you too little sister." At those words Anya ended the call. Rolling on her other side she hugged a pillow tightly seeking comfort.

A few hours later, Anya found herself in front of Stark Tower. It was still dark outside, but getting lighter. According to the internet, the sun would rise in fifteen minutes. She wasn't really sure how the hours between her call to Phil and to the present moment had passed so quickly.

She had lain in bed for another hour before getting up and getting ready. It was odd seeing the apartment so empty. All her things, minus the suitcase in her hand and backpack she wore, were in storage where she had left them yesterday. The apartment had come with the furniture so there was no need to worry about that. Anya had eaten a day old pink icing donut and had drunk a glass of chocolate milk for breakfast; it actually was her favorite unhealthy breakfast to have.

Reaching in her jeans pocket she looked at her new phone. It was similar to her old one. Natasha pointed out she couldn't bring her old one in case they hacked it and read her text messages; apparently simply deleting them wasn't enough. So she bought a new one yesterday, same number. Natasha used the computer and her hacking skills to make a phone history. Only the calls from her parents and work colleagues were transferred over. It was a good thing she memorized Phil and Tony's numbers.

Anya tugged at her AC/DC shirt in nervousness. Yes, she went wearing her favorite jeans, a t-shirt and her converse. If she was going to be a slave, she would dress comfortably unless ordered otherwise. Her suitcase held a few dress shirts and pants just in case. Taking one last look around her, she opened the building doors. It was time.

*****ATST in NYC - CF *****

Clint and Natasha watched the world get lighter as the sun rose. Standing in Anya's apartment, looking out the window, Clint felt his dread grow as the light did. Glancing over at his partner, Clint could see worry in her face; although, to any on lookers she would seem unmoved. Steeling himself, Clint grabbed the duffle bag at his feet and turned towards the door. It was time to go.

***** Somewhere in Missouri – PF *****

Phil kept his eyes on the road, but his grip on the steering wheel continued to tighten as it got lighter out. He feared for his sister. He gave his life so she could be safe, but now it didn't matter. She wasn't safe. She was in the hands of a lunatic. As the sky lightened, Phil sensed movement behind him. Looking in the mirror he saw Stark had woken up. Dread was clear on his face. They made eye contact for a second. An understanding passed between them at that time. They would do anything to save their sister. That is what that look said. Eyes back on the road, Phil reminded himself that all he could do at this moment was drive.

***** STSP (same time, same place) SF****

Steve awoke to the sun rising. For a second, he forgot what that meant. His first thought was that it was beautiful. Then he remembered and he felt like an airplane had dropped on him. He would never look at a sunrise the same way, he realized. There was nothing he could do right now, Steve kept telling himself, but despite that, the guilt weighed heavily on his heart.

**** STSP – BF*****

Bruce kept his eyes closed. He could tell the others were waking up around him. He could also tell it was getting lighter outside. He couldn't look. He refused to watch the sun rise. It would be torture knowing what it meant. He tried to keep his mind clear. The Other Guy was angry and thinking about it would only bring Him out.

****A few minutes prior in NYC – LF*****

Loki sat on the bed in the top level of the tower where he had taken up his residence. He could tell from the sky that it would be dawn soon. It would be time to see how the mortal held up to his test. As the sky brightened, Loki stood up, entered the elevator and took it to the balcony floor. It was there he waited for her. He was only standing there for a little while when he heard the elevator doors open. Loki let out a breath he did not know he was holding. She was there. He took in her sloppy appearance and state. She looked younger than before and tired. Loki felt a smirk come across his face. Time to begin.

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**A/N: DUN DUN DUNNNNN sorry had to do that. Yeah...who doesn't love suspense...right? Also I know this is going to hurt you more, but I know some of you will ask - yes that is foreshadowing. *cue evil laughter* Totally random, but a **pink icing donut and chocolate milk is my favorite breakfast treat; I would have it as a kid whenever my dad would take me to daycare. Had to throw it in there. Review/follow/favorite.****


	31. Chapter 30: A Long Ride

**A/N: Hello everyone, Happy Belated Christmas. First off, I own only my OCs and plot. Secondly, so sorry about the delayed post. My beta has recently moved, and then add the holidays on top, well she just hasn't had time. Therefore, this is actually edited by myself. I apologize for errors in advance. Hopefully I caught most of them though. **

**Thank you SOOOOOO much to everyone who has followed/favorited! Thank you for the reviews as well: **

CausticCottonballs: I completely agree.

JediTara: Thank you and I hope you are still alive at this point. FYI it's only going to get worse later on.

Laughwithabby: I am honored to be your first review! Thank you! As for your comment, I will have a bit more about their plans in this chapter, but overall the "master plan" is more a work in progress and won't be done until the very end. I have them more or less just thinking on the spot and going from A to B as A finishes. I do that on purpose because personally I think that is what would happen if something like this did occur. They don't really have time to plan out everything with Loki after them, Anya in danger, and the fate of the world in their hands. In Fury's words, they are a response team. Also it is their first time as a group, so it's not like they have traction yet. I appreciate the suggestion and promise the characters do develop a plans but only in little steps. I also do this as a writer because it adds to the tension. Hope you enjoy it none the less. Seriously glad my fanfic made your favorites! And thanks!

**Now without further ado enjoy. Don't forget to review/favorite/follow!**

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**Chapter 30: A long ride**

**DSB 6: Early Morning after sunrise in Missouri – TF **

"How much longer Coulson?" Tony questioned. The sun had just risen and they were out of time. Yesterday, when skyping with the whole team, Coulson reveled they were headed to Pennsylvania. Apparently there was an unregistered SHIELD bunker in Allegheny National Forest. A place, Coulson shared, that Fury reminded him of before he left to find Bruce. As if that made up for SHIELD's lack of assistance, Tony thought bitterly to himself.

Coulson sighed, "Around thirteen hours Stark."

Tony cringed at the answer, especially since it meant that much more time in the car with everyone, "Can't you drive faster grandma?"

Coulson tensed slightly, "No, Stark. We have to obey all traffic laws. We can't afford to be stopped and have Loki alerted."

Tony wanted to argue, but he knew Agent was right. Damn it all. Where was the scotch when he needed it? "Want me to drive for a bit?" Tony offered.

Tony would bet that Coulson rolled his eyes at his offer, but the man was wearing his sun glasses so he didn't know for sure, "No."

"You really should get some rest Coulson. You have been driving for how long?"

"Stark, when I need to sleep I will ask the Captain or Dr. Banner to drive."

Tony pretended to act insulted, "Them over me?"

Coulson shook his head slightly before ignoring Tony. This was going to be a long thirteen hours.

*****ATST in NYC – AF *****

Anya could barely breathe. When she had entered the Tower, a group of armed men surrounded her in seconds. Only after stating her name did they lower their weapons. One man took her luggage while another escorted her into the elevator, which is where she currently was. As the doors opened she tried to display a hard demeanor. Anya was sure she had failed at it by the look on Loki's face. Shivers ran down her spine as he smiled at her; it was the smile of a predator ready to toy with his prey.

The armed guard had to give her a small shove to make her move off of the elevator and into the room. She walked into the middle of the room where Loki was standing, stopping a few feet from him.

"You kept your word," Loki pointed out.

"I always do," her voice sounded scratchy. She would blame it on dry air rather than nerves.

"I always do, Master. After all that is who I am to you now," Loki seemed to be enjoying this. Anya wanted to punch the bastard. Her nervousness was replaced by anger, but she had to keep it together – for Tony and Phil's sakes, she reminded herself.

"My apologies, Master," There was slight sarcasm in her voice. Loki stared at her for a moment. Then reaching into a fold of his cloak he pulled out a thin black band. Anya could not tell what material it was made of.

"Hold out your arm," Loki ordered stepping closer.

Anya did as she was told and held out her left arm, lifting it till it was parallel to the floor. Loki stepped closer and slid the band onto her arm. The cold band stopped at her mid-forearm. It was made out of a material she had never seen before. After he had placed the bracelet on her arm, Loki waved his hand over it. Anya's eyes grew wide as the ban flashed green and then tightened around her skin, causing her to gasp in pain. When the pain had passed, which was soon, Anya looked up at Loki, question burning in her eyes.

"This is what we call a slave collar. The only way you can remove it is if I set you free. It will light green when I require your presence. If you fail to comply, it will emit a light shock, which will grow in length and intensity as time passes. It also allows me to know where you are at all times."

Anya started at the band in horror. She wanted to pass out now. She would never be able to get away from him. Loki seemed to revel in her anguish. He waited a moment before continuing, "Now about your duties."

***** Early Afternoon in Allegheny National Forest – NF*****

Clint was staring at her again, distain in his eyes. "Clint, I swear to God I will break your arm if you keep looking at me like that."

"Nat," he wined, "It just is so wrong."

"Staring at my hair will not turn it back to red," Natasha remained him, "Besides it was necessary. Deal with it."

Clint pouted slightly, "Fine." He mumbled before turning his glaze back across the forest. After first light, Clint and Natasha had stolen a car and drove out to Allegheny National Forest, their rondevou point with the team. At a small town, a few miles from the forest, they stocked up on food, bought a disposable cell and Natasha dyed her hair. Clint had been arguing against it the whole time. Why he cared so much was a mystery to her. It was her hair after all. It was also for the good of the mission.

They ditched the car a few miles from the park and hiked in. When they reached their destination Clint immidiently climbed a tree while Natasha patrolled the area. After a while she found herself sitting on the ground throwing knifes into the trunk a tree; might as well practice while waiting, Natasha had decided. It helped her keep her mind from wandering.

"Hey Nat?" Clint called her name after they had been waiting an hour or so in silence.

"Yes?"

"Toss me the Beef Jerky"

Natasha stared at him.

"Fine," he mumbled before climbing down from the tree. He opened up one of the duffle bags that was at the tree base and pulled out a small bag of Beef Jerky.

"I thought you grabbed food?' Natasha asked.

"This is food," he answered.

Natasha just rolled her eyes. Dehydrated cow meat was not her idea of food, although it was better than starving.

***** Evening in Pennsylvania – SF*****

When Steve spotted the "Welcome to Allegheny National Forest" sign he couldn't be happier. It had been a long ride. First Agent Coulson and Stark refused to stop for the restroom and instead handed Dr. Banner, who was the first to ask, a plastic bottle. Then, when they arrived at a gas station, only Agent Coulson could get out of the car. Thankfully the Agent did bring back food for everyone. Steve wondered if he would be able to walk after being in the car for thirteen hours. In the end it would be worth it, he decided, because it meant saving time and, more importantly, getting to Anya faster.

Within the hour of spotting the sign, the car pulled into one of the park's entrances. Driving along the path they reached an empty parking lot. The moment the engine was cut everyone shot out of the car. Steve almost fell on the ground from Stark pushing him.

"My legs!" Stark exclaimed as he started, rather slowly, to walk around.

"Stark, stop being melodramatic," Agent Coulson responded to Tony's outburst.

"Says the only man who has been out of the car in the past thirteen hours," Stark mumbled. Agent Coulson simply gave a light smile while he pulled out his phone from his pocket. After a moment of looking at the device he went to the truck of the car and said, "Everyone, grab you stuff, we have a bit of a hike ahead of us."

"You mean you guys have a hike. Thor and I can fly." Stark pointed out.

"No, all of us. We can't risk someone seeing you flying." Agent Couslon pointed out.

Stark looked ready to argue. "Stark, he has a point. We can't risk it." Steve spoke before Stark could start to argue. The man simply threw his hands up and mumbled something about a conspiracy against him before walking over to the trunk and grabbing his suit that was in a condensed form; it looked like some sort of jet pack. Dr. Banner took his bag next, while Steve grabbed the duffle with his and Thor's stuff.

"Friend Steve, do you wish me to carry that?" Thor offered seeing he had the bag.

Steve shook his head and gave the blonde giant a smile, "I've got it Thor, thanks though."

After Agent Coulson grabbed the last bag, a backpack, they headed out.

They had been walking for a while. Agent Coulson, having the directions in his phone, led the pack. Steve followed behind him; Thor came second and Dr. Banner and Stark brought up the rear. Steve could tell both men were struggling to keep pace. He wasn't really surprised; both men were scientists and in the lab most of the time. For a moment Steve couldn't help but remember his old companions and the missions they had been on. No, he couldn't think like that. Focusing back to the present he called out, "Agent Coulson, why don't we take a break."

Agent Coulson was about to speak when Stark, who had apparently heard him suggest a break yelled, "Thank god!" and the man plopped down on a tree trunk that was by the trail and set his suit down next to him. Agent Coulson just stopped walking and set down his backpack besides him.

Reaching into his own duffle, Steve pulled out a water bottle. He offered it first to the man next to him, "Agent Coulson?"

"No, thanks Captain, I have one." He answered before pulling out his water bottle.

"Dr. Banner?" Steve offered it to the scientist. Who also rejected the offer as did Thor.

"Stark?"

"I thought you would never ask spangles. Yes, I'll take some." The man wearily replied. Steve resisted the impulse to chuck it at the man's head. Play nice, Steve reminded himself, as he gently tossed the bottle to the billionaire, who didn't even say a word of thanks.

"Captain, may I have a word with you?" Agent Coulson, who was still standing by Steve asked quietly.

Steve just nodded and followed the agent down the trial. "Captain, I've heard some of Stark's comments to you and have to ask. What is your relationship with my sister?"

Steve blushed slightly before standing a bit straighter. Steve respected Agent Coulson enough to be open with him. "I met her at the gym and we became friends over the past few months."

"Just friends?" Agent Coulson gave him a knowing look causing Steve to blush.

"Right now yes. I was, I mean, I am planning to ask her to go on a date with me." There was an awkward silence.

After a moment Agent Coulson gave him a light smile, "Okay."

"Really?"

"Yes. Just remember that I am a high ranking, trusted SHIELD officer." The threat was clear and caused Steve to pale a bit, especially with the look on Agent Coulson's face. Hands down, Steve decided would rather face Stark's anger than Agent Coulson's. After Steve nodded solemnly, the pair joined the rest of the team. They continued walking after another few moments of rest.

* * *

**A/N: To recall what Stark suit looked like condensed watch Avengers; we are still with the Mark 7 that came flying after him from the window. The reason, by the way, I have Stark carrying his suit, rather than letting it fly to him when needed is because they are undercover and a flying suit, if anyone saw it, would be a good way to find them. Not to mention the suit would have to be locked in the trunk and then barrel through that and the trees…yeah I don't think Tony would like the damage done. So I made the man carry it. It's good for his character. **

**Sorry this chapter is a bit short and ends at an odd place. I had to break it here otherwise you would have a 5k chapter, which is a bit long in my opinion. I will update soon though :) Sooner this time than last. **

**So God bless my friends and Happy New Year! **


	32. Chapter 31: Right Hook

**A/N: Hi everyone! Happy 2015. First off, I own only my Ocs and plot. Secondly, big thanks to my beta. Thirdly, thank you to everyone for favoriting/following my story! **

**Thank you JediTara for reviewing - yes it would be cool if Anya simply grabbed one of Tony's suits but thats not going to happen. That would be too easy in my opinion. Besides the suits are calibrated for Tony, not her. Not to mention they are in lock down. Still appreciate the thought. **

**I love you all, thanks for reading and without further ado, enjoy. **

* * *

**Chapter 31: Right Hook**

*****DSB 6: Evening in Pennsylvania – BF****

As he swatted a mosquito away from him, Bruce realized how ready he was for this to be all over. Anya, the girl whose family he owed and promised to protect, was a slave. They – Thor, Tony, Agent Coulson, and Steve- had been hiking in the woods for a while, and were headed to some secret base where they could work. Secret base in the woods – god he was so done with this shit. SHIELD had lied to them about the weapons. They lied about Coulson. He was done with them. Still, he couldn't get up and walk away. Not after everything. Not after almost winning. Not after all the death and destruction. Not after Anya. It wasn't about SHIELD anymore and Bruce knew it.

"Agent Coulson, why don't we take a break," Bruce heard Steve ask the agent. Before Agent Coulson could answer, however, Tony yelled "Thank god!" and sat down on a tree trunk by the road, placing his suit down next to him. Thor, Agent Coulson and Steve stopped in their tracks. Smirking, Bruce sat down next to Tony and dropped his duffle to the ground.

Bruce was tired, not from a lack of fitness, but rather from having been immobile for 13 hours and now being forced to walk for an extended distance. Steve offered everyone some water, which only Tony took, before walking down the trail a bit with Agent Coulson. Bruce was slightly curious about their conversation, but decided to focus on drinking the water he had pulled out of his duffle a few moments before.

"So Bruce," Tony began as soon as Steve and Agent Coulson were out of earshot, "the green giant mentioned something about a promise regarding my sister and you."

_Oh shit_ was Bruce's thought. He had listened to Tony rip into Steve too many times over the past day because of Steve's relationship with his sister. Bruce mentally prepared himself.

"What happened?" Tony casually asked.

"As I said yesterday, I ended up in Anya's parents' barn. They helped me, gave me shelter, food, clothes and bought me the bus ticket to go to California."

"Yeah, I heard that. What I want to know is what you promised to m regarding my sister," Tony demanded.

"…when I was getting on the bus to leave, I told Jim, Anya's dad, that I owed them and would help them if possible…He asked me to protect his daughter… I promised I would."

Tony was silent for a moment before speaking, "You're serious?"

"Yes, that is what happened," Bruce responded feeling slightly irritated.

"No, I mean you are serious about keeping the promise? Why?"

Bruce stared at the water bottle in his hands while answering, " I… I haven't exactly received many warm welcomes in my life. Not many people have helped me. I expected a gun in the face and they gave me clothes, food and shelter."

"So you are serious because you've had a sad life and they helped."

Bruce was torn between being offended and amused by Tony's summary. He didn't know if he wanted to punch the man or roll his eyes at the comment. He did the latter.

"Sure, put it that way."

"Huh," Tony said before drinking some more water. " You're kind of like a stray puppy then." Tony told Bruce after a few moments. Bruce just shook his head. Thankfully Agent Coulson and Steve appeared at that moment.

"Let's move out," Agent Coulson told everyone.

Tony groaned and slowly got up, "Fine." He then let out a light whine, "Come on, puppy, time to go," he said to Bruce. Bruce stood up and walked over to the path where everyone else waited. "I will hurt you, Tony," was all he said in response. Tony smirked and started walking. Time to go.

*****A little while later – TF*****

_Damn it, will the walking never end_, Tony wondered to himself. They had been hiking for hours and it wasn't like the Mark 7, although nicely condensed, was lightweight. There was also no way he would ask anyone to carry it. There was this thing called pride. Plus he worried that someone else would break it.

Everything was insanely quiet. He wished he had his music playing. Some AC/DC, Pink Floyd or Black Sabbath would be great right now. He didn't want the silence because it meant thinking. He didn't want to think at the moment. There would be no productivity in it. He had no tools so he couldn't invent. Plus the past week kept replaying in his mind. He had almost died. He kept seeing the wormhole when he closed his eyes. His sister was a slave. He kept hearing and seeing her conversation with Loki over and over again. He couldn't rid himself the image of her tearful bruised face, full of sorrow, fear and shame when he told her they saw what had happened. The only positive right now was that Pepper was safe and they had a plan.

Falling back behind everyone a little bit he quietly spoke out loud, "JARVIS?"

"Yes sir?" JARVIS answered, having heard Tony through his ear piece.

"How is Pepper doing?"

"Ms. Potts is currently resting in a hotel room in Tokyo. She had a meeting with the Tokyo robotics company Studio Ghibli this afternoon to discuss a partnership."

Tony was glad she was abroad and safe. "Send her a message saying I am safe, being heroic and that she should stay abroad and safe."

"Every well, sir."

"Thanks J. Also, how is Anya?"

"She is alive and in the Tower. According to my scans, she has high levels of stress. Other than that and the previously known injuries she is healthy."

"Good. Start searching for options for us to contact her without anyone else in the Tower being aware of it."

"Very well, sir."

"Stark?" Agent Coulson called out. Tony blinked, suddenly aware of his surroundings. At some point in his conversation with JARVIS he had stopped walking. The group was now far ahead of him, waiting.

"Coming honey," he yelled back sarcastically, walking quickly towards the group.

***** STSP – CF *****

"It's about time," Natasha spoke to the figures emerging from the path into the small clearing. Clint and Natasha had spent most of their day waiting for the others to meet them at the rendezvous point. While both assassins were used to waiting, timing was after all everything in their business, this was harder than normal. It was personal. Hence, Clint's and Natasha's relief when Clint first spotted movement in the distance.

Clint leaped down from the tree he had been keeping watch in and joined Natasha on the path as the others approached.

"Natasha, Clint," Coulson greeted his agents as he walks towards them. "Nice hair," he tells Natasha before adding "It is good to see you again," to Clint.

Clint, if being honest with himself, was semi-nervous about seeing Coulson again. After all, he was part of the reason Coulson had been killed in the first place. However, seeing him now was a relief. There was no condemnation or judgment in his handler's eyes only warmth and understanding. The world, Clint decided, was definitely a darker place without Coulson. He was glad the man was back.

"Coulson," Clint returned his greeting and Natasha echoed it as the rest of the group filed into the small clearing. Not surprising Clint, Steve and Thor were following closely behind Coulson. Banner was not far behind and Stark took the rear.

Everyone was exchanging their greetings as Stark approached. Watching him out of the corner of his eye, Clint saw Stark set down the metal bundle, presumably his suit, on the ground. The man walked up towards the group, saying nothing and threw a right hook at Clint. Clint saw it coming, he could have avoided it, but he decided not to. He deserved it after everything he did.

"What the hell, Stark!" Steve yelled as Clint felt the punch hit his face. It was a decent hit; Clint had to give Stark that.

"That is for my sister," Stark told Clint in a matter-of-fact tone.

Natasha hadn't blinked. Coulson looked disapprovingly at Stark, but didn't say anything. Bruce, Thor and Steve, however were shocked. Before Steve could start ripping into Stark, Clint spoke, "Captain, it's fine."

Steve was about to argue when Natasha spoke, "Steve, just drop it. After all, Clint let Stark hit him."

"What?" Stark questioned looking a little frustrated at that fact. "Also, Red, why is your hair blond?" Natasha simply ignored him.

Changing the topic Clint spoke, "Coulson, which direction to the base?"

***** Late evening in NYC - AF *** **

Anya was lying on the small bed in her new room reflecting over the past day; she was trying to ignore the pain in her shoulder, arm and heart. The room had been a smaller guest bed room in Tony's main living quarters on the top floor of the tower. At the moment she was feeling too many emotions to fully comprehend it all. Walking into the tower that morning she hadn't known what to expect. Actually, she had refused to even think about it as her mind would always offer the worst options. Becoming like Pepper Potts, before she was made CEO, was not what she had expected.

She was now Loki's PA. Her "duties" basically were to make everything run smoothly, get whatever he wanted, and make his life simple. It was just great, Anya thought sarcastically. Apparently, the mind-controlled Barton deserved a commendation for his work at the Tower; how he had run everything was beyond Anya. There was little to no system in place. Loki had his military organized and that was it. He didn't even understand the political system or money. Luckily for him one of his IT people had set up an account for him, which syphoned money from the IRS &amp; Congress. He was officially robbing the people.

After her morning meeting with Loki, she had changed into professional clothes – black dress pants and a light blue button down shirt- because Loki had informed her that her wardrobe was unfit. She then had gone immediately to the IT department, which had taken up residence on the 19th floor. She had just learned the 'King's' bank account number and grabbed an ear comm when Loki summoned her – in other words, her bracelet flashed an obnoxiously bright green. _Seriously,_ Anya thought, _it was obnoxious_; it was like having a green traffic light on her arm. It took her around 30 minutes to find him in the freaking building because he wasn't in the balcony room and he wouldn't answer her on the comm; the loathed bracelet shocked her for not getting there fast enough. She ended up asking the security team. She found him in one of the labs with a giant blue cube that for some reason made her feel nervous.

She recalled the conversation:

_"You are late," Loki informed her, his back turned towards her. The god was sitting in front of one of Tony's work desks with a blue cube resting on it. Anya had just entered in the doorway. She walked forwards and stopped a few feet from him. She felt slight fear at the sight of him and the cube, but mostly anger. He was sitting in her brother's place._

_"Well, next time tell me where you are and I'll get here faster," she testily replied. She knew fear would be a better response to his presence, but after being shocked like a misbehaving dog she was pissed. Loki turned slowly in the chair until he was facing her. He casually waved his hand. Anya saw the band on her arm flash green before the pain spread. Rather than a brief shock like before this was a prolonged pain as if someone was stabbing her arm. She couldn't help releasing a small cry and holding her arm. She only just managed to stop herself from dropping to her knees. Finally, after a few seconds, he waved his hand again and the pain stopped. It left her breathing heavily and drained._

_She glared at him, hoping he could feel her hatred through her eyes. He stood slowly and walked until he was only inches in front of her. His hands were behind his back and he stared down at her with an expression that suggested boredom._

_"Take care how you speak, slave," he calmly reprimanded. _

_"Yes, master," she sarcastically answered. This caused Loki to smirk. As if he was amused by her defiance. After a moment of silence she straightened her posture and asked with slight sarcasm, "You called?"_

_He smirked again, "Yes, I require sustenance."_

_Anya blinked, "You are hungry?"_

_Loki rolled his eyes, "Is that not what I just said?"_

_Anya sighed and ignored his question in favor of asking one, "What do you like to eat for breakfast?" It was, after all before 11am, so breakfast it was. Loki just stared at her. She couldn't tell if he didn't know what breakfast was or if he expected her to read his mind. So she tried a different approach, "For the morning meal do you prefer bread, fruit or meats?"_

_Loki seemed to think for a second, " A combination."_

_She was about to ask what he wanted to drink when he waved his hand, causing her to cringe. No pain, however came, he was just waving her away. He did however, have a knowing and evil, in Anya's opinion, smile at her reaction. "Go away and bring back the food shortly."_

_Irritated, but not wanting to be shocked again, she just nodded and left. _

Not knowing what to do, Anya had gone to the IT department, grabbed an unused tablet and ordered food from . She had ordered a large variety of food: bagels, eggs, fruits, pancakes, and juices. Then while the food was on its way, Anya had made coffee. She knew from visiting Tony where the coffee machine was on the 24th floor. She had almost asked JARVIS where stuff like the filters were, but people were around. It turned out that Loki liked peach french toast, scrambled eggs and bacon. He also loved coffee. She couldn't blame him for that. She had been on her third cup by then.

Thankfully, besides organizing food, Loki had left her alone for the day. That was a godsend as she had a massive learning curve to overcome. As soon as she could, Anya had taken a laptop, in addition to her tablet, from the IT department and had started to gather, classify and organize all the information. It would be pain in the ass to do, but not only would it make her life easier but it would give the Avengers wonderful intel. Thinking about the Avengers, she realized she needed to steal an extra comm piece and send it to them somehow. That was a problem, however, for another day. So instead she spent the day gathering information and meeting top workers.

By the end of the day Anya had realized that the hardest part of her job, besides the spoiled god, were the other people in the tower. Most of them were mercenaries or enemies of SHIELD she guessed. She imagined there were a few who were under Loki's mind control, but she had no way of telling who unless she wanted to start knocking everyone unconscious. Sure, Barton's eyes had been a brighter blue when changed, but she didn't know if that would occur with everyone who was mind controlled or it was just him. Still almost everyone there were men; not the most comfortable work environment even if she had worked with mainly men in her previous job. Most of them had looked at her with confusion. A few had challenged her being there, in those cases she had just told them to speak to Loki. Then a few had leered at her. She had a bad feeling that something was probably going to happen. She just hoped it wasn't anything like her dream.

_Okay_, Anya decided, _time to stop thinking_. She did not want to follow that particular train of thought. Anya uncurled from her bed and looked at her cell phone. It was almost midnight. She felt…so alone. She couldn't risk texting or calling anyone. She had a feeling that she was being watched. By strength of will alone, she got up and got ready for bed. Thankfully her bedroom had a bathroom attached. After taking a few ibuprofen tablets she had brought from home for the pain in her shoulder, she burrowed into the bed. She was lucky that her stitches hadn't torn yet. Lying in bed she then realized that she had yet to unpack her suitcase and bag. She really didn't want to because that would mean she was staying. _Please let the Avengers get here soon_, was Anya's last conscious thought.

* * *

**A/N**: First off, I know Studio Ghibli is not a robotics company. I just put them in the story to give them a shout out cause I love their movies; I can't say how sad I am that they stopped producing movies now.

Anyway, please review/follow/favorite. You guys are what keeps me going. Also, if you review and tell me that your write your own story I will go read it and review - I tend to read Avengers (esp. with OCs) and Transformers mainly, but also Harry Potter, Twilight and Sherlock.

Til next time my friends.


	33. Chapter 32: Reasons

**A/N: Hey everyone! First and foremost, I only own my OCs and plot line. Shout out to my Beta. THANK YOU everyone who is following and/or has favorited my story! It means so much to me! Thank you to those who reviewed:**

Fairyfinder: I am so glad you like my story! Sorry it isn't updated that often. I try for every other week, but life happens. Glad you liked the breakfast scene, it is my favorite meal of the day. Anyway here is the next chapter.

Dresupi: Thank you for all your reviews on my previous chapters. You made my day with saying I had Loki's character down. He is my favorite challenge. I am so glad you like my story, esp. since I really liked yours ******Anyone who wants to read a Bruce/OC story, Dresupi has a good one called Crimson &amp; Clover** ** **

**Anyway, please continue to review/follow/favorite**. **Here is the next chapter and it includes a shout out to all my fellow AoS fans. **

* * *

**Chapter 32: Reasons**

*****DSB 7: First light Pennsylvania – PF*****

As the sky started to lighten, Phil picked himself off the ground where he had been resting. It was time to get moving. He looked around and saw that everyone in the group was awake, but still spread out and lying around the small clearing. Clint was up in a tree. Stark was leaning against the same tree. Dr. Banner was lying nearby, his head on his duffle. Natasha and the Captain had copied Dr. Banner, their heads on their own packs, and were close by. Thor was simply leaning against a rock.

The group had walked till dark yesterday and then was forced to stop. Only his team, Strike Team Delta, had brought a flashlight. Besides, it was going to be difficult enough finding the base with daylight. In the night time it would be impossible. To say that everyone was upset about taking another day to get to their destination was an understatement.

When they had stopped and settled down, Phil had quietly asked Stark for an update on their sister. He informed them that she was stressed, but okay according to his AI. As soon as Phil had asked the question though everyone had quieted down and listened intently. It was interesting to Phil how connected Anya had become to the group. It both encouraged and discouraged him. It encouraged Phil because it meant that there were more people to help his sister. It discouraged him because they were the type of people whom trouble followed. She would never have an ordinary life, and that saddened him. Of course knowing his sister as he did, he doubted she would have had that much of a normal or ordinary life in the first place.

Mind back to the present, Phil noticed everyone was ready to get going. They had stood as soon as he had.

"How far?" Phil heard the Captain ask. Phil pulled out his phone, silently thanked SHIELD technology for having such a long battery life, and checked his coordinates.

"Approximately an hour walk," Phil replied after a moment.

"Wait a moment; we stopped last night when we were only an hour away?" Stark complained.

Phil would have sworn that he saw Clint roll his eyes and Natasha shake her head. "Stark, we still have to find the entrance when we arrive. That would have been impossible in the dark."

"Wait, what do you mean find?" Stark questioned. For being a genius the man could be stupid at times, Phil reflected.

"It's a secret base Stark," Natasha answered, clearly aggravated, "it's not like the entrance will be obvious. People do walk in these woods."

To prevent an argument, which was looming based on Stark's facial expression, Phil simply turned and walked down the path, "Let's head out," he called back to the others.

***** ATST in NYC – AF*****

As Anya cradled the hot cup of coffee in her hands, she couldn't help but wish that she was back in bed. It was just light out and she was already up. Last night had not been good. Her dreams had been were filled with reminders of what could happen if Loki found out who she was. So, when the sun rose, she got up. Dressed in her nice black dress pants, a red button up blouse with a white tank top underneath, and black flats with her long black hair up in a bun, she headed straight for the kitchen on the top floor. Walking quietly she had prayed that she would not run into Loki until she had the coffee made. Luck, or fate, had been on her side as she didn't. Knowing her _master _liked coffee, she had made a large pot.

After taking a sip of her coffee, she began opening the cabinet and fridge doors. She was pleased to see them filled with basic foods. Yesterday, after learning that the American people were paying for everything, she had decided to try and do anything to save money. That meant cooking food and not ordering out. Thankfully this was the 21st century and groceries could be delivered. She had ordered them before she went to bed and ordered a random worker in the lobby to put them away whenever they came. Surprisingly the worker did as she asked; she imagined it must have been because word about her had spread through the tower quickly. She would have to find the worker and thank him later today.

Pulling out the flour, eggs, milk, and a few other ingredients, she began to cook. Within twenty minutes the pancakes, bacon and eggs were finished. After cleaning up everything, making sure she was clean as well, and covering up a plate of food for herself later, she turned on her ear comm and held down the button that allowed her to speak.

"Security, what is the King's current position," she demanded in a business-like tone.

"This is the security department. Why the hell should we tell you?" a rough and tired male voice answered.

"Security, this is Anya Marvel his PA. Give me his damn position or …" she countered. She wasn't going to deal with this shit in the morning.

"Ms. Marvel, he is in his room on the 24th floor," the voice answered after a moment.

"Security, thank you for cooperating," she answered, hoping that he detected the aggravation in her tone. She would need to deal with that later. There was no way in hell that she was going to run around the tower looking for Loki every time he called; especially not since the security could tell her where he was, hello cameras. _Shit_, Anya thought, _cameras_. She needed to make sure there were none in her bathroom. She wouldn't put it above the lowlifes here to spy on her.

Shuddering at that thought, she picked up the plate of food, a napkin and fork, and a cup of coffee and headed down the hallway to Loki's rooms. Hoping he wasn't horrid in the morning, she knocked. After hearing no answer she called out. Once again she heard nothing. Taking the liberty, and hoping not to get herself killed, she went ahead and opened the door.

Loki's room, or rather Tony's room that Loki stole, was huge. It's colors were primarily shades of red and gold. A few feet into the room and to the side was a large red couch facing the door. A flat screen hung on the light gold wall by the door. Past the couch was a small kitchen. To the side were three wooden doors. From visiting before, Anya knew that the first door was a bathroom, the second was a study/work area, and the third was the bedroom. Slowly walking in, she made her way to the kitchenette. She had just set the food down when she felt a presence behind her.

The room was suddenly colder. It had to be him. Her muscles locked. She didn't turn around, she didn't move, she had to remind herself to breathe. She would wait for him to make the first move.

"What do you think you are doing?" his cold, low voice asked from behind her.

"…I brought you breakfast," she replied as calmly as she could. She felt his hand clamp on her right shoulder and he pulled it back and to the side, causing her to face him. He dropped his hand once she was turned. He was wearing his usual outfit. His face was blank, but his eyes…there was anger, suspicion and something else reflected in them. Anya felt her mouth go dry. He was too close. She could smell him; he smelled like a cold morning in the mountain air and water. She couldn't help but remember her dream.

His voice brought her out of her thoughts. "I did not call you," he stated.

"…no…you didn't…I assumed you would be hungry and brought you breakfast," she replied.

After a few moments he gave her a small smirk, "How thoughtful, and what have you brought me?"

"Scrambled eggs, bacon, and blueberry pancakes to eat and coffee to drink."

"Pancakes?" he questioned as he looked over her shoulder at the plate. Stepping to the side, she moved so he could see the food better.

"It is a bread type of breakfast food. I figured you would like it since you enjoyed the french toast yesterday."

Loki looked from the food to her. She couldn't quite read his facial expression. After a few moments he dismissed her, "Leave me."

Nodding she turned from him and headed quickly out the door. At least now she could eat her food. _Hello chocolate chip pancakes_, she greeted her food as she sat down at the kitchen island. _This_, she decided, _was going to be a long day_.

*****STSP – LF*****

Loki stared at the plate of food in front of him. After a moment, he raised his hand over it and muttered a spell to check for poison. Nothing. Tentatively picking up the fork, he took a bite of the flat oval shaped food called pancakes. It would suffice, he decided. In all, the meal was more than sufficient, but there was no way he would admit that.

The meal left Loki feeling slightly perplexed. He had grown with slaves and servants. They were, for the most part, incompetent creatures. They did what they were ordered and stayed silent until called upon. That was all. He had anticipated that the mortal would be different as she was not used to being a slave. He knew that he would have to break her in; hence his punishment of her yesterday for talking back to him.

Still, this was unexpected. Never had a slave done something for him without being asked. They did their chores, but no more. Providing him with substance was her responsibility, but he had yet to order her to bring it. Furthermore, she claimed to have picked this food based on what he liked. It left Loki feeling… confused…uncertain and uneasy.

There had to be a reason, Loki decided. She was probably trying to lure him into a false sense of security. She probably wanted something. Resolving to watch her behavior more closely, Loki left his rooms and headed to the elevators. He needed to spend more time studying the Tesseract. Then he would have a talk with his new slave.

***** A few hours later in Penn. Forest – SF*****

"Well, that was unexpected." Steve said quietly, mostly to himself, as he and the rest of the group watched as what appeared to be a solid rock face slid open. From the look of his teammates, well besides Romanoff and Barton who had blank expressions, they felt the same way. A few moments before, everyone had been ready to give up and Stark had looked ready to punch Agent Coulson. They had reached their destination, according to Agent Coulson's phone, a while ago. Of course that meant next to nothing as no one could find the entrance. Well, until Romanoff, probably bored, threw a knife at a tree for target practice and two giant guns came out of the ground and fired at it.

Instantly everyone ducked for cover and stayed there for a few moments. Then Agent Coulson stood slowly, despite everyone gesturing him to stay down, and walked into the open space. The guns then proceeded to point at him, but did not fire. There were a few agonizing moments of waiting for Coulson to get shot before they heard a voice announce, "Identify yourself." Coulson identified himself and the group. Thankfully, the guns lowered into the ground and the entrance to the base was revealed.

There was a small open area behind the 'door' followed by a hallway that split to the left and right. In the area stood a shorter, well rounded man; he was pale skinned with light brown hair and was wearing a black suit and a lanyard. "Welcome Agents and Avengers," the small man said enthusiastically as they walked in.

The door closed behind them, causing Steve to feel trapped. Repressing the emotion, he shook the hand of the eager man greeting them. "My name is Agent Eric Koenig, it is a pleasure to have you here. Wow, what an honor to meet you- the Avengers. Of course, there is the reason why you are here?" Agent Koenig questioned.

"Agent Koenig, I am sure you aware of current events?" Agent Coulson spoke.

"Yes, and I am aware that SHIELD has officially denounced the Avengers as well."

At his words everyone clinched up. Steve hated to think they had come all this way just to fight.

"Yes well – " Agent Coulson began, but Stark interrupted.

Obviously livid, Stark stepped closer to the little man, "Listen you little shit, not only has a fucking psychopathic alien taken over this country, but my sister's life is in immediate danger. Now you will quickly show Dr. Banner and myself to a lab were we can work to stop this bastard or I will put on this suit and make you."

Grimacing internally, Steve decided to say nothing, but wait to see what the man did. The man in question seemed nervous and mildly shocked at Stark's words, although he had obviously been trained well as he maintained his cool composure.

"Now, no need to be hasty," the man said.

"Agent Koenig, I would do as he says," Agent Coulson spoke and the rest of the team nodded.

Looking at everyone the agent agreed with a sigh, "Very well, you have permission to momentarily use our facilities. Please understand, I must report your presence to SHIELD within 72 hours. You have that long to do your work and leave," Agent Koenig explained.

"Understood," Agent Coulson calmly replied

"Then this way please." The small man turned and proceeded down the small hallway. Following the group, Steve couldn't help but hope that this base had a gym. There was no way he could spend 72 hours in a science lab without hitting something. Hitting something…yeah a punching bag sounded like a good idea.

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**A/N: I couldn't resist throwing in Koenig and referencing AoS. Hope you enjoyed. As mentioned before follow/review/favorite. **


	34. Chapter 33: Jane Foster

**A/N: **Hey everyone! First off, I own only my OCs and plot. Secondly, **THANK YOU** to everyone following and/or has favorited my story. I'm glad others are enjoying my story. Thank you for the reviews:

JediTara: I will leave what Loki feels for Anya up to your (and every indv reader's) disgression. I'm trying to make their relationship very dynamic so be prepared for that. Also I'm glad there is anoher AoS fan reading this.

FairyFinder: Glad you liked it. Sorry it was a bit short. They will eventually be getting longer. It's amazing though how long though these chapters are in word though. Take this chapter for example, in word it is 6pages. Anyway, glad you enjoyed Koenig.

**Trigger warning**: there is reference to slavery and violence in this chapter. Also, I reference something with Anya/Steve later down that I actually wrote a **one-shot** for. So feel free to read that.

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**Chapter 33: Jane Foster**

**DSB 7: midmorning in NYC - AF**

Well that was fun, Anya sarcastically thought to herself as she walked out of the security department in the tower. She had just had a conversation with security about why the next time she radioed for Loki's location they would give it to her without asking.

Truthfully, Anya didn't like to use intimidation and threats on others; however, there were a few times she couldn't avoid it. In reality, the last time she did use it was with the whole stalker fiasco back in college. Ahh… yeah… she didn't want to think about that. Shutting down that stream of consciousness, Anya quickly got on the elevator and took it to the 14th floor. Yesterday she had discovered that Pepper's office was currently unused; which was surprising as it had a great view.

Sitting at Pepper's/her desk, she glanced at the wall clock. Anya wanted to pass out. It wasn't even lunch time yet and she was exhausted. She had awoken early, been threatened by her suspicious _master_, and asserted her authority on security. It was all way too much for one day, let alone one morning. Looking out the window over Manhattan, Anya couldn't help but reflect on how unreal this all felt to her. Sure, she had known that slavery still existed in the world. It was a huge problem. She just hadn't expect it to become her problem. She didn't think it would be her life – her family's lives – on the line, or her country that was threatened. Bad things were always present. Anya could turn on the news and see that. It was just that the bad things only supposed to happen to other people not her.

Shuddering inwardly, Anya tried to draw herself out of her self-reflection. It wouldn't help anyone, she told herself. Reflection time could come later with a therapist if she lived through this, she decided. Taking a deep breath she sat straighter and started doing research on the public's opinion of Loki. She was his "PA" after all, and public awareness was important. Well that and she didn't have anything else to do. So it was research or tumblr. Feeling the desire to be productive she went with research.

_That was odd_, Anya thought to herself. When she had googled "Loki" there had been a relatively small number of articles featuring him. Most questioned his reasoning for being there, but the majority welcomed his coming. Turning on the news, Anya watched for an hour. Nothing about the new king was on it. They featured the recovery efforts and mentioned the hunt for the Avengers, but that was it. Something wasn't right. Loki had only been King for a week. She should still be seeing mass news reports. Then she realized – _censorship_. The government had officially taken control of the media. _Not good_.

Right at that moment she noticed her arm band lighting green. Oh great, Anya muttered to herself. Green used to be her favorite color, but she had a feeling that by the end of all this she would hate it. Activating her ear piece, she asked security for Loki's location. This time they told her without hesitation.

Grabbing her tablet, Anya hurried to the elevator and went up to the lab area on the 23rd floor. Thankfully, she got there before being shocked.

"You rang," she said sarcastically when she entered the lab area. Loki had his back to her and was looking at the creepy blue cube.

"I did not ring," he stated matter-of-factly

"It is a human expression," she replied.

"I have work for you," he said while turning around in his chair to face her. She stood silently waiting for him to continue, "I need you to find Jane Foster." The name sounded familiar to Anya, but she couldn't remember why.

"Who?"

"Jane Foster, she is Thor's woman." There was such disdain in his voice when he said his brother's name that Anya felt her heart hurt for the absent man because while Loki hated Thor, Thor still loved him as a brother.

"Why?" Anya knew why Loki wanted her, to get to Thor, but she wanted to hear him confirm it.

"I am tired of this game the Avengers play. It is inevitable for them to fail, but yet they hide and avoid me. No more. Find the girl and this game will end. Look on your own, but if you need assistance then contact SHIELD or any other government agency to find her. Tell them they will cooperate or face my wrath."

After a moment Anya calmly asked, "What will happen to Ms. Foster when I find her?"

Loki paused for a moment, as if considering if he should share his plans with her, before answering her question. "We will gather any intelligent information we can from her and then use her to find Thor."

She couldn't do it. She couldn't search for a woman knowing the woman would be subjected to the same fate Anya herself would face if Loki ever found out about her. "No," Anya said in a calm voice after a moment.

"That was not a request, slave," he told her, moving closer and stopping only a foot from her. "You will obey me."

"No, I will not be a part of your schemes that will end with another person being tortured, used as bait and then killed."

Loki just stared at Anya for a moment before making a small wave with his hand. Then all Anya knew was pain. She gave a small scream when it first came, but clenched her jaw shut. She refused to show weakness. Anya had no clue how long it continued, but by the time the pain was over she was on the floor in a ball clenching her arms.

Gasping, trying to calm her body, she heard Loki speak, "Obey me and find the girl." Looking up she saw he had turned his back on her and moved back to his precious cube. If the bastard thought that little bit of pain was going to change her mind, then he was just plain stupid. Anya slowly rose to her feet. Straightening her spine, she repeated her previous answer, "No."

In a blur of movement, Loki shoved himself out of his chair, came over to her and backhanded her across the face. Pain jarred her body as she was sent crashing to the floor. Luckily nothing was close enough for her to hit her head or body on. Still the pain on the side of her face caused, quite unwillingly, for tears to fall from her eyes. She was almost positive her cheek bone on the right side of her face was broken.

"You will obey me!" He yelled at her.

"Not when it means endangering other people," she was able to gasp out. He was starting to move towards her when a loud beep went off. After a moment Anya could identify it as coming from a screen by the cube. Loki looked at it and then back at her. His earlier rage seemed to slightly dissipate with the noise.

"I do not have time for this," he sneered before pulling out a comm device and putting it in his ear. "I require a few guards," he ordered.

Anya, knowing others were coming, put her energy into trying to stand up. After being electrocuted and slapped so hard that she had been thrown onto the floor, standing up was a difficult thing to do. She glared at Loki as she struggled to her feet. Not a moment after she stood up, she heard the elevator ding. Anya brushed her hair out of her eyes, which had unsurprisingly come out of the neat bun that she placed it in that morning, and simply waited for the guards to come. A few moments later three military men entered the room. To her they all looked the same; average male height, large muscles, blank faces, and various shades of brown hair.

Standing at attention, the man in the middle with the darkest color hair spoke, "Sir, you requested our presence."

"Yes, I did. Take her," he said gesturing with his hand, "and make her obedient." Anya internally screamed. Instantly the two other men moved over and tightly grabbed her arms. "You may not permanently injure or kill her. Only do what is necessary to make her obey an order." Loki expanded before dismissing them with a wave of his hand.

"Sir, yes sir" all three men replied in unison before turning and dragging her out of the door.

*****ATST at a hidden SHIELD base in Penn. Forest – SF*****

Steve couldn't get her out of his head. He kept seeing the tears falling from her eyes; eyes that shone with resignation when she told them about being made a slave. Slamming his fist into the punching bag in front of him, Steve tried to block it out, but he couldn't. He remembered meeting her for the first time; she was using the punching bag at the gym and her hands were bleeding. He remembered going jogging together. He remembered the look on her face when he introduced himself as Captain America. He remembered how he felt when he learned she was related to Stark. All of the memories coursed through his mind like a movie, causing him to hit the bag harder and faster. Steve shook with anger at her fate and his inability to stop it. A loud bang occurred, startling Steve. He hit the bag so hard it was ripped off the chain and thrown across the room.

"Feeling angry Cap?"

Steve turned to find the source, it was Agent Barton. He lightly replied, "Just a bit."

"If that is 'just a bit' I would hate to see you pissed." That caused Steve to give a light smile. Steve started to unwrap the bandages protecting his hands; he needed to stop before he destroyed the room. He had been in the gym for a few hours, ever since Agent Koenig showed him its location.

When they had arrived at base, Agent Koenig had showed them straight to the lab; Dr. Banner and Stark had immediately gone to work on creating a transmitter blocker; not that Steve knew what that was. He understood the concept but didn't know anything about technology to help. So, instead, he had asked the agent to show him the gym. Both Agent Romanoff and Barton had followed. The agent had been was kind enough to provide spare exercise clothes and had even given Steve tape for his hands when Steve had asked about a punching bag. Hopefully the man wouldn't be too upset to find it busted on the floor.

"Is it about Anya?"

Steve didn't answer.

"Hey, Cap, it will be okay." Clint said after a moment of silence.

"How do you know?"

"I don't."

"Then – "

" – because I have faith." With that Clint turned and walked over to the archery range in the gym.

*****Hours later, Late evening – BF*****

"Finally," Bruce muttered silently, leaning back in his chair. He and Tony had been working on the transmitter blocker's calculations for hours. They had started the work on the car ride over, but had had to stop because of a lack of tools. Earlier in the day, when they had finally arrived at the SHIELD base, Agent Koenig had immediately showed them to the lab. It was a bit larger than the Helicarrier's lab, but not as well equipped. It had one large hanging computer in the back of the room. There were three other desktop computers on separate desks as well, all against the wall left of the door. The right wall held work tables and various tools. Tony had taken the large hovering computer while Bruce had sat down at one of the desktops. They had combined their work onto the hovering computer, which was currently checking their calculations and running a few tests. If they were right, they could start fabricating the transmitter blocker and have it ready in a day or two.

Of course they only had two more days, leaving little room for error. Still, he was able to breathe a little easier knowing the first step was done. That and he could start working on his side project. He would need to slip out and go to the medical bay for a bit. Looking to his right, Bruce saw Tony also leaning back in his work chair staring blankly ahead of him. Agent Coulson, who had originally joined them in the lab had disappeared some time ago, leaving just Tony and Bruce to work.

Seeing the look on Tony's face, Bruce felt the need to comfort the man, "It will work." Tony blinked, as if Bruce's words had awoken him.

"I know," Tony quietly responded. His response startled Bruce. While he hadn't known Tony for a long period of time, Bruce had gotten a clear picture of Tony's character. He had been an expecting something more arrogant, such as an 'of course because I did it,' or what not. He had not expected a quiet confirmation. It was clear the man was preoccupied and worried, probably about his sister.

"Tony – "

" – It will work, but the question is will it be done in enough time."

"It should be ready in a day or two. We will finish before Agent Koenig 's deadline."

"I don't give a shit about that." And there was the confirmation of what Bruce had suspected.

Going off of impulse Bruce asked, "What is she like?" Bruce didn't even need to say her name. They both knew to whom he referred.

Giving a small smirk Tony responded, "Fiery, sarcastic, smart – a Stark…she's also loyal…kind…" Bruce couldn't help but think that whoever said Tony Stark didn't have a heart clearly didn't know the man.

"You seem close." Tony just nodded. "How did you find out about her?"

"What?"

"When Agent Coulson and I originally met up with you and the rest of the team, he mentioned that you both had known her for only three months. How did you find out?"

What happened next surprised Bruce; Tony groaned and then leaned forward and hit his head on the desk in front of him.

'Tony?"

"I'm good; it's just unfortunate how we met." And so Tony spent the next thirty minutes sharing with Bruce about how he met his sister. By the end of it Bruce understood why Tony had reacted the way he had. The man had hit on own his sister.

"…Tony…Really? Your sister?"

"I didn't know! Also, don't start on me. The looks Capsicle gives me are bad enough, not you too."

Bruce just took a deep breath and shook his head. "Fine, let's drop it." He didn't want to hear about all that, but Tony seemed to be feeling better. Right then the computer beeped. Both men turned towards the large hovering screen. After reading the numbers, Bruce let out the breath he hadn't realized he had held. Their calculations were correct. They could fabricate the device now. Looking around the lab Bruce and Tony both seemed to realize at the same time that they didn't have the necessary hardware.

"Tony – "

" – I know. Stupid ill equipped lab." Tony muttered the last part and stared at the computer. "Well there is no helping it," he added before walking over to the computer next to Bruce and smashing it on the floor, startling Bruce. Tony then started sorting through the glass, metal, and plastic to pull out computer pieces they could use. Bruce walked over and did the same thing to the third computer in the room. He left the computer he had worked on untouched. Hopefully SHIELD wouldn't get too pissed about this.

"What are you doing?!" Agent Koenig yelled, entering the room just as Bruce smashed the third computer. Bruce resisted the impulse to point his finger at Stark and blame him.

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**A/N: **So pre-warning things are only going to get worse for Anya. Keep in mind that the story is rated a T so it won't be horribly graphic. To read a one-shot with Steve/Anya and them jogging go to my page. It's listed there.

**On a more serious note, **I mentioned modern slavery in this chapter. As many of you know slavery is still very real today. There are many different types and it is a global problem. To learn more just goggle it. I strongly suggest you look online to learn the signs of slavery ( combat_trafficking is a good website for this) and to find the numbers to call in case you suspect someone is in slavery. There are many organizations working to end slavery as well. Just check the validity of them before giving to them.

**In the United States: If you suspect someone has been trafficked, call the: Department of Health and Human Services-sponsored, toll-free, 24 hour **

**NATIONAL HOTLINE: +1-888-3737-888**


	35. Chapter 34: Pain

**A/N: F**irst off, I own only my plot and OCs. Sad but true. Secondly, **THANK YOU** to everyone who is now following and/or has favorited my story!

Thank you also to those who reviewed:

Arainne1: Thank you! I'm honored you spent most of your day reading my story. :)

Fairyfinder: Thank you, for both liking the chapter and my addition at the end. Might as well use this fanficiton to share useful information. I too enjoyed the irony of Bruce smashing something. In the words of Tony, the man needs to let off some steam. Here is the next chapter, enjoy!

JediTara: I can't have my heroine give in...well at least not yet...(I may or may not just be messing with you * evil laugh)

Dresupi: I would be worried for Anya if I were you. And I will say thank you again for your comment about Loki. I truly am trying to stay true to the characterizations portrayed in the movie - with realistic growth of course.

**Shout out to my readers in Jersey! **To be honest I am horrible at geography and did not know your country existed. Please forgive my ignorance. Anyway, I enjoyed reading up about your country, especially about Victor Hugo staying there. I love Les Mis.

**Friendly reminder **that italics are thoughts**. Also question, **would you guys/gals like me to post a short recap at the beginning of each chapter? I know some authors do it and I was wondering if anyone thought it would be useful.

Now without future ado... please remember to review/follow/favorite my story!

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**Chapter 34: Pain**

*****Trigger Warning- Violence (If you wish to avoid reading it skip to the next section)*****

**DSB (Days Since Battle): 7- Late Evening in NYC – AF**

Saying that she was in pain couldn't describe how Anya felt at the moment. The moment Loki told the men to "teach her to be obedient," she started to inwardly panic. It was her dream happening. She almost gave in at that second, saying she would obey, but that meant trading another person's life for her own. It meant condemning someone else to torture and death. She couldn't do that. If she did she knew she would forfeit her own soul.

Currently, Anya was lying against the cold concrete floor in Stark's basement. The men had taken her down there. Originally she had been sitting in a chair that was awkwardly bolted in the middle of the garage. Anya had seen blood on it and had guessed that was where Natasha had been held. The thought of her friend had given her some strength. The men had taken turns beating her. They had kept it up for a while until one had hit her so hard she had been knocked unconscious. That must have been when she had fallen out of the chair.

The whole time they had said nothing. They had only made her feel pain. To make it worse, her shoulder, which had been getting better, felt worse. She wouldn't be surprised if the stitches were loose. When they hit it though, she had made sure to give no indication. With these people they would only use it against her. So she kept stone faced and quiet as they beat her into unconsciousness. Waking up on the floor, she saw that they were a few yards away eating at a table that had been set up.

Closing her eyes, Anya hoped that they would take their time eating and leave her be. She wondered what time it was, but knew that there was no hope of knowing. Tony never kept a clock in the basement/garage. Plus they were underground so no light would tell her the time. Her stomach grumbled. She tried to swallow but her mouth was dry. _Great, now I have hunger and thirst pains on top of all the other pain_, she sarcastically thought to herself. Anya didn't get to think of it long as not a moment later she heard chairs scrape against the floor and footsteps come towards her. She tried to relax her body and pretend to be asleep.

"Wakey, Wakey little bitch," one of the brutes told her while delivering a solid kick to her stomach. The pain caused her to open her eyes and clench up in pain. The men laughed. The darker haired man, who had spoken to Loki and was clearly in charge of the other two, reached down and yanked her up by her hair. Anya bit her lip to smother her yell of pain. As soon as she was 'standing' the other two men grabbed her arms and held her up. If Anya was honest she probably would have collapsed without their support. The dark haired man let go of her hair and stared into her face.

"This whole time you haven't said a word. You haven't really even made a sound. It's a bit disappointing really, isn't it boys?"

Both chorused their agreement. "So we need to do something about that," he said, revealing a short knife. She couldn't help but think, _not again_. "Now it would be a shame to mark up that pretty face of yours. So we will have to contain the fun. Oh and don't worry I am a trained professional. I won't hit any vital organs, so you'll live." His tone was mocking, but light.

She wanted to spit in his eyes, but knew that would only make it worse. The man, apparently deciding the time for talking was over, stabbed at her left thigh. If she had never been stabbed before she would have screamed, but she had so she only let out a gasp._ At least he pulled the blade immediately out,_ Anya bitterly thought. She could feel burning followed by the warmth from the blood leaving the wound.

The man stared at her for a second before punching the place where she had just been stabbed. That caused Anya to bend forward and give a small cry. Only the men holding her up kept her from falling forward. "Much better," he said stroking her hair. Filled with anger Anya straightened herself and spit in his face; so much for sticking to her better judgment. The man yelled in surprise and wiped it off with his hand. "You bitch!" In a fit of rage he moved forward and swiped the knife diagonally from her left shoulder to just above her right chest. He continued to attack her with the knife – swiping it across her stomach multiple times. She cried out loud in pain and staggered forward. The men holding her dropped her so she fell on her stomach.

After a moment Anya realized no one was attacking her and the men were speaking. She must have faded due to the pain. She couldn't help but love the cold on the concrete floor. Anya tried, after a few seconds, to focus on what the men were saying, but she couldn't concentrate. She felt someone step on her back. Her body froze.

"Well kitten, we are going to leave you to think about obedience for a while. Feel free to get up and try to stop the blood. Oh, and don't even try to escape or hide a weapon for when I come back. The cameras will be watching and so will Jack here."

Anya felt the foot come off of her and heard footsteps moving away. A few seconds later she heard the elevator door ding, and a chair scrape against the ground. She needed to get up. She had to get up. There was a first aid kit on the cabinet against the far wall from the door. She knew where it was because she had used it before; Tony had injured himself building a machine and she just happened to swing by right when it happened.

Still she didn't move. She couldn't move. Even the thought of moving hurt her. The cold of the concrete and its support felt wonderful as the warmth left her body and the pain filled her. She needed to move…but…_maybe it wouldn't hurt to take a nap…yeah…a nap sounded good_… and the light faded and she felt momentary peace.

*****ATST- SHIELD Base in Penn – Clint F*****

Deep breath, focus on the target, and release – the arrow Clint released hit the bull's-eye, exactly as he expected it to. He had been in the gym, letting off steam, for a while. _Things may have gone crazy, but this, this always makes sense,_ he thought to himself as he released another arrow. Steve had been in the gym as well, but had gone some time ago. Good thing too because SHIELD didn't have an unlimited supply of punching bags. Well, at least the hidden SHIELD base didn't.

Clint could tell that she was there. He didn't react, but simply fitted another arrow, pulled back on the bow and let it go. The moment he let it go, he ducked, sensing the kick that had been going straight for his head.

"Well, hello to you as well," he told Natasha as he backed away. She had a smirk on her face.

"Want to spar?" she questioned. Based on her body language and facial expression, Clint could tell she needed to let off some excess energy. He guessed that throwing knives or practicing with her side arm weren't going to cut it this time. He was about to agree when he heard a distant crash, followed by a second one and then someone yelling. Both assassins glanced at each other before running out of the room and down the hall. Going on instinct, Clint simply headed to the lab where Dr. Banner and Stark were working. He had an arrow already fitted and was scanning the area. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Natasha with her gun out and looking ahead.

As they came to the lab, Clint slowed down and relaxed his body before putting the bow and arrow away. He did so because the Captain and Thor were simply standing outside the doorway. Thor looked both concerned and slightly confused while Captain simply was shaking his head. Clint could also hear Agent Koenig yelling.

"This is the blatant destruction of SHIELD property! I should report you right now."

"Agent Koenig, I am sure both Dr. Banner and Mr. Stark have a good explanation for doing this," Coulson spoke calmly.

By the time Coulson finished speaking both Clint and Natasha were at the doorway. Captain just gave them a weary glance before continuing to watch the people inside. In the room, Clint saw the previous speaking individuals, along with a rather nervous looking Dr. Banner and an irritated Stark, both of whom were standing over broken computers. Now Clint understood the situation.

"Of course I did, we needed the parts. There are no spare computer parts or hardware of any type in this lab; hence, why we had to use that which was already in use. So in reality this is your fault. If the lab had been better equipped this wouldn't have happened."

Clint shook his head at Stark's reply. Agent Koenig's face reddened, but before he could yell Coulson intervened.

"What he means to say is, it was necessary, but he does apologize. I am sure Stark will pay to have them replaced." Coulson glared at Stark. The man simply shrugged and rolled his eyes.

That seemed to semi-pacify the man, "Fine, but clean this up. Oh and you will NEVER get a lanyard now," he stated before turning around to head out the door. Captain, Thor, Natasha and Clint quickly moved out of his way. The man didn't even spare them a glance before heading down the hallway.

"And Coulson saves the day," Clint muttered under his breath in a semi-serious tone. He saw the side of Natasha's lips lift slightly up as if to give of a ghost smile. Said man was just standing looking disappointingly at Stark and Dr. Banner.

"What?! It was necessary." Stark quickly defended himself.

"You didn't think to ask for parts rather than destroying property for them?" Coulson sounded exasperated. Stark just shrugged before bending down and rummaging through the smashed computer. Coulson sighed before giving the "I expected better out of you" look to Dr. Banner. The man looked guiltily down, before following Stark's example and picking up computer pieces.

"What's the status?" Captain asked after a few awkward silent moments. By that point both Stark and Dr. Banner had their hands full of parts, which they carried over to the workbench on the other side of the room.

"We have factored the necessary quantum mechanics and now just have to fabricate the device," Dr. Banner explained with his back still turned. Clint glanced at the Captain, Natasha and Coulson; _yep, they were just as confused as I am, _Clint thought to himself. That made Clint feel a bit better. Dr. Banner must have felt their confusion because after a moment he added, "It will be ready in two days." That alone was enough of an explanation for Clint.

Then what happened next surprised Clint. He knew the question would be raised, but he suspected by Coulson or Captain, not by Natasha, "How is she?" Clint stared at his partner who looked blankly ahead. Her mask was perfect, but Clint could tell she cared. _That was interesting. So, Natasha had gained another friend._ Clint couldn't help but be surprised and happy for his partner who was normally self-contained and only got along with a select few individuals.

The question made everyone pause. Everyone glanced at Natasha before redirecting their attention to Stark, who was still staring at her. Stark pulled out the phone he had pocketed from Coulson and hit a button before asking, "JARVIS, how's Anya?"

"Ms. Marvel is in a critical condition," the British voice answered over speaker phone. The moment he said that everyone gathered closer to Stark and his phone.

"Explain JARVIS," Stark commanded, his voice tense.

"Earlier in the day Ms. Marvel was escorted down to the basement level by three officers under the command of Loki. They have spent most of the day inflicting various levels of physical force on Ms. Marvel. She has a fractured left cheekbone, severe bruising in the stomach and face, and various knife wounds across her body. She is currently lying unconscious on the basement floor with a male guard."

Clint felt a wave of anger and dread fill him as he listened to Stark's AI explain Anya's circumstances. Glancing at everyone else, he saw them reacting similarly.

*****STSP – Coulson F *****

The feelings of anxiety, stress and worry that were already present for Phil were magnified exponentially at hearing JARVIS' update. All he could think was, _not _my_ baby sister_. She had already been through too much and all because she was related to them. That and she always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"JARVIS," Stark asked the AI after a moment of silence, "do you know why she is being…" he didn't finish the sentence.

"Yes, sir. Loki ordered his men to teach her to obey. She had refused an order and this was his response."

"What was the order?" Barton asked.

"To find Ms. Jane Foster," At JARVIS' words, everyone turned to Thor, who seemed frozen in shock and worry. "His intention, which Ms. Marvel inquired about, is to use her to gather information on Thor as well as to draw him and the rest of the Avengers out of hiding."

Internally, Phil gave a small sad smile. _That's my sister, putting others first._ It made him proud but extremely worried and angry. After a few moments of everyone standing still, Stark hit a button on the phone, pocketed it, and turned around to face the workbench. "Bruce, let's get to work," was all he said. Doctor Banner gave a tense nod and turned towards the computer parts.

Everyone else headed out of the room. Phil ventured to guess that the majority of the team was headed back to the gym; mainly because they were headed in that direction. So it was that or they planned to wander randomly around the base, which would be a problem with Agent Koenig. Thor, on the other hand, was walking in the opposite direction of the gym, the second option was more likely.

"Thor," Phil called out to the demi-god who was walking away tersely.

Thor stopped walking and greeted Phil, "Son of Coul." Thor swallowed slightly before continuing, " I – "

Phil interrupted before he said anything, " – It's not your fault." Thor stared at the ground as Phil continued, "it's on Loki and his men." Phil paused before continuing, "He won't find her. Only Director Fury and myself know where Ms. Foster is located. The moment New York happened the facility would have gone into lock-down mode. She'll still be there – safe and hidden."

"Son of Coul, you mean to comfort me when it is your sister who is in peril…thank you. I am indebted again to you and your family. I will do whatever I can to help."

"I know you will….We will get her back… Now if you will excuse me I am going to go gather supplies so we can leave whenever Stark and Dr. Banner are finished."

Thor nodded as Phil turned to leave, heading in the opposite direction. As he walked away Phil mentally took all his emotions- anxiety, worry, stress, and rage- and pushed them down inside of himself. He would use it to fuel him in the coming days. He had work to do.

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**A/N: **MWAHAHA I know I am evil for ending it there. So everyone we are at the top of the hill about to roll down it. Be prepared. One a side note, according to "quantum mechanics provides a mathematical description of much of the dual _particle-like_ and _wave-like_ behavior and interactions of energy and matter," ( wiki/Quantum_mechanics) that sounded like what the science would be for my transmitter blocker. If anyone knows if that is right feel free to review and explain. Although at this point it doesn't matter too much as far as the story goes. I still would be interested to know though.


	36. Chapter 35: Ruined Clothes

**A/N:** As always, I only own my OCs and plot. Also **THANK YOU** to everyone who has been following and/or has favorited this story. It honestly means a lot to me. Thank you also for the reviews:

Fairyfinder: I'm glad you enjoyed the reference and like the story! Also thank you, that is one of the best compliments I could ever receive. With fantasy/scific the goal is to write so it is realistic enough that if those thing exist this would happen. Here is a chapter for you.

JediTara: Poor Anya is right... you have no idea...(yes, I am evil)

Geust: Thanks! Here is an update!

**Trigger warning: violence. ** Sorry, by the way, for the delay in updating. On a random note, is anyone else super pumped about Age of Ultron coming out?! Anyway enjoy the story, please remember to follow/favorite/review.

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**Chapter 35: Ruined Clothes**

***** DSB:8- Morning – NYC - AF*****

For a moment Anya forgot what had happened. She was hovering on the edge of consciousness, and in the moment she felt peace. Then she took a breath and tried to move. Pain radiated through her whole body. She gave a silent cry. That was when she remembered; it all came back to her in a rush. She was surprised she was alive.

Deciding to play it safe in case she was being watched, Anya kept her eyes closed and tried to determine what was going on.

She was still lying on the floor, but a few things were different. The first thing she could tell was that she was lying on her back. Secondly, while her back and feet were cold her front was warm. Thirdly, her right arm was awkwardly stretched out to the side. Anya opened her eyes. Sure enough she was still in the basement/garage and on the floor, but she had a blue blanket over her, her shoes were gone and her right hand was handcuffed to the bolted chair on her right. Lifting the blanket and looking down at herself, she was surprised to see that her wounds were bandaged. The bandages explained why she wasn't dead. She also noticed that her pants and shirt were bloody and torn from the knife wounds. That was irritating. _It's not like nice work clothes were cheap, _she thought bitterly to herself.

Unfortunately for Anya, not a moment after she woke up, she sees someone walking towards her. It was the mercenary with lighter browned hair who had been ordered to watch her…_Jack, yes that was his name_.

"You alive?" he asked in almost a southern accent, which seemed random to Anya.

"Yes," she managed to croak out. Her throat was too dry to really talk.

"Good, I didn't feel like being killed today," was his response.

Before the guard walked away Anya had to try and ask, "Water?"

"You want water?"

"Please"

The guard scratched his head. "Well, I'm not supposed to help you. See, I only bandaged your wounds so you wouldn't die."

"I'll die without water…and food…" Anya managed to gasp out. The pain worsened the more she tried to talk. Her throat felt like parchment paper.

The guard looked at her considering before turning and walking away. Anya almost wanted to cry. She turned her head and saw him at the guard table. He picked up a water bottle and walked over towards her. She felt instant relief.

"Now, don't try anything," he warned before approaching her. Anya simply gave a small nod. She was too weak to try anything and besides what was the point? She had to stay there; her "master" had ordered it.

The guard slowly knelt down by her head. He placed his hand under her head and lifted it up slightly before pouring the water into her mouth. The relief was wonderful…and short lived. He only gave her a tiny bit of water before he stopped pouring it out. What concerned Anya was that he didn't move away immediately. He simply set the water bottle down next to him, but continued to hold her head up as he stared at her.

"Thank you," she quietly told him.

The man shook his head. "It is a shame," he said quietly while looking at her. The man, Jack, continued, "You are quite beautiful…and I don't like hurting women…but you have to follow orders." As if he had reminded himself by saying the word 'orders', he quickly lowered her head back to the ground, stood up and walked away.

Once he walked away and sat down at the table, Anya felt like she could breathe again. She wondered if she was going to survive the day.

*****ATST – SHIELD Base in Penn. – TF*****

Thor was currently lying on a bed, in a spare room at the SHIELD base. Staring at the ceiling he wondered how it had all come to this. His adoptive brother had always been a bit misguided. Loki had not connected well with the others at home and was a natural trickster. But never, in the 200 years they had been brothers, had Thor envisioned this occurring. His adoptive brother had gone mad with power. Loki was hunting him and his friends across this planet. Now his love's life was being threatened, his new friends' sister had been made a slave, and the same sister was saving his love from his own brothers' wrath.

When he had heard what had occurred, Thor had been half-convinced that he should turn himself over to his brother's fury. Only after listening to the Son of Coul's words and pondering for a while had Thor realized that turning himself over would accomplish nothing. Thor had been tempted, at the time, to leave this hidden base and wander outside. Seeing the stars would comfort him; the stars reminded him of his dear Jane as well as his home and Heimdall.

Hopefully Heimdall had explained the situation to his father. _Maybe the Allfather will send assistance_, Thor thought suddenly with hope; hope that quickly died when he realized that to be impossible. The dark energy his father used to transport him to this world had caused a great strain on the AllFather. No. No reinforcements were coming. It was up to them. Feeling discontent and unable to lie still any longer, Thor left the darkened room to seek out his friends.

*****NYC-Later Afternoon- LF*****

As Loki cast his gaze upon his city, he couldn't help but reflect upon the worms below him. They were truly pathetic creatures; ever grasping at small insignificant things throughout their short lives. They had no real promise, which was not surprising since they died so young. They held so strongly to the ridiculous notion of freedom despite the fact that they clearly did not want it. Study of their current government and way of life revealed that.

Yet they had the nerve to fight against him. It was a good thing, Loki realized, that he had thought to expand his power by taking over the military and government, including the state ones. That helped crush even the idea of rebellion. Those who had instantly taken up arms after he had announced his rule were already taken care of, courtesy of his military. Of course they were no real threat to him. They were merely ants. The only threat was the Avengers, not that he would even call them that. No, they were more of an annoyance: a thorn in his side.

_A thorn that will be removed soon,_ Loki thought to himself. His plan was nearly perfect. He knew his "brother". The oaf would come running for "his Jane." Now Loki only needed to find her and end it all. Then he could look to other countries. Well, the countries that hadn't already sworn allegiance to him. Over the past few days different countries had been contacting him, swearing their allegiance; they claimed they hated the previous government and would support him. They were all cowards.

Technically, Loki knew he could start dealing with other countries now, but it would be nice to have things dealt with here before focusing outward. Besides, it wasn't like he didn't have the time. He was young after all and could afford to wait. Not that he would wait long when it came to the Avengers. They would fall soon. He just needed that slave girl to follow orders. Loki knew he could have another slave search for Jane Foster rather than wait, but it would make victory that much sweeter if the Avengers would fall by her hands, a fellow mortal not under the Tesseract's power. Besides, it would put the girl in her place. He knew that she hated to harm others. Her defending of the weak told him that. What sweeter way then to break her in than by ordering her to do that which goes against her core nature? Maybe this way he would find what she was hiding. That and he needed to punish her for daring to disobey an order.

Thinking about the girl, Loki decided to see how much her disposition had changed since yesterday. Then he needed to go meet the former leader of this land to discuss some changes he wanted to make in the country.

*****SPST- AF*****

_When is this going to end_, was Anya's desperate thought. The fact that waking up on the concrete floor, wounds taken care of, and being given water were the highlights of her day made Anya depressed. Coughing, Anya spat up blood. She was back in the cursed chair trying to breathe with what she suspected were a few broken ribs.

Not long after Anya had been given water the other guards came down. She had been bold enough to ask to use the restroom, which they had thankfully permitted. Although, the bathroom had been searched for potential weapons and she had been searched on the way out. In a way, it was a good thing she hadn't been fed or given a lot of water for however long she had been down there. It meant she didn't have to ask often to use the restroom. After using the restroom, the "fun," as the main brute called it, began.

They had tied her to the chair and then the darker-haired muscle man had asked her very simply if she would follow Loki's order. She had responded very politely,_ No_. Since then they had been taking turns beating her. After a hard hit to the gut, which caused her to cough up blood, they decided to "take a rest." Anya, trying to fight off hunger pains and pain in general, barely heard the elevator ding.

Raising her head she saw the men standing at attention. _Ahh, the dictator arrived_, she thought to herself. To Anya, Loki looked angry when he saw her.

"What is the status?" he questioned, stopping in front of her. His eyes seemed hard. Anya wondered how pathetic she looked to him at that moment. The thought angered her.

"She refuses to cooperate," the dark haired man answered.

"Really?" Loki paused for a moment before asking her, "Well slave, have you changed your mind yet?"

"Have you changed the order yet?" she sarcastically responded in a dry raspy voice.

"No"

"Then you have your answer."

Loki stared at her. She must have be wrong, but she almost thought she saw a glimmer of admiration in his eyes.

"Do your job," Loki commanded the men.

"Sir, we have done everything that will not leave a permanent scar, as per your orders."

Anya wanted to tell him that was a lie. The stab wounds would leave scars. But that would be unneeded provoking so she kept her mouth shut.

Loki sighed, "Fine, just don't maim or kill her." Then he walked towards the elevator, "Also try not to injure her face. We do have to look at it later," he called out before getting on the elevator. With the closing of those doors, fear rang deep in Anya's gut. It only increased with the look two of the men were giving her. Only Jack, her night guard, didn't respond with an evil glare. Instead, he looked tired. Anya realized he was her only hope, but seeing as how the other two men ignored him she doubted there was anything he could do.

"Well then, pet, let's have some fun shall we?" the dark haired man spoke.

*****Later in the Evening in Penn. – TF *****

_Tony couldn't breathe. To say his world was shattered would be an understatement. It was all over his hands. He was kneeling in it. It was splattered across his face. The salty iron smell filling his nostrils. The warmth of it almost burned on his cold face. It was her blood…his sister's blood that was covering him. Loki shot her in front of him…laughing. Tony tried to lunch forward to kill the man. He would beat him to death. Vengeance was his only thought now. But even in that he was denied. Cold iron clamped around his wrists held him in place. He realized there was no escape. No vengeance. No hope. Everyone else was dead. They had failed. He had failed. Loki pointed the gun at Tony's head, "Any last words?" But he had none. At this point he longed for death. Then he heard the click of the gun, but only started to register the sound of it firing before darkness claimed him. _

"Ahhh!" Tony awoke screaming. Startled by the change in scenery, he looked around him gasping for air. He tried to slow his breath. He was in the lab….they had been waiting on some calculations when Tony had rested his head for a moment_….it was only a dream…it was only a dream_. By the time his breathing was under control, he saw Bruce run into the lab

"What's wrong?!"

Tony gestured with his hands for Bruce to calm down, "Nothing…it was just a dream…"

His sciencebro took a deep breath and sank into his work station chair. "That must have been some dream," he noted.

Tony, wanting to change the subject noticed a Styrofoam cup with a lid in the scientist's hand, "Is that coffee?"

Bruce grimaced, "Yes, they didn't have tea."

Tony shook his head, "Of course not. Coffee is life blood." Feeling a bit more stable Tony stood and headed towards the door. "I'll be back," he told his friend who just nodded. He needed to get some coffee; maybe that would help shake the dream off._ It felt so real_. Tony realized the only thing that would make it better would be to see his "family" safe, all of them: Anya, Pepper, Happy, and Rhodey.

Tony grimaced, thinking of Rhodey. Tony had been tempted to call Rhodey for help, but considering the President and military leaders were turned, he didn't know if Rhodey was too. He hoped he wouldn't have to fight his friend. He was also thankful he hadn't given Rhodey the suit he was building yet. The Avengers were on their own. They would manage. They had to.

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**A/N: **Mwahaha and I leave it there. A bit of anxiety/suspense is good for you all. Anyway, review and tell me your thoughts, especially regarding Thor's thoughts since I don't write his view often.

Side note, while this chapter is shorter than the last few, please consider that it is actually four pages long in Word. That being said, please don't review and ask me for longer chapters. I write and end a chapter wherever it's natural stopping point is; although, I try to keep them around the same length of 2-3K words.

Till next time! God bless!


	37. Chapter 36: He Knows

**A/N: **First off, I own only my plot and OCs. Secondly, **THANK YOU **to everyone following/favorting. I can't believe I have 39 favorites and 66 followers! Blows me away. Also thank you to everyone who has reviewed! Up to 77 so far! Speaking of reviews:

Fairyfinder: Thank you my friend! If that chapter had you shivering you may want a blanket for this one. Thanks for also answering my question/ I'm glad you enjoyed Thors POV.

PiratePrincess16: Thank you! Always glad to have a fan.

**Trigger Warning for Torture/Violence.** I am pretty serious about this warning everyone. This is as bad as the torture is going to get. There will be more violence in later chapters, but this is the last of the flat out physical torture. **If you don't want to read it,** skip the first section (with Anya's focus); what happens will be summarized later in the chapter. In positive news you will get to find out about the Avenger's plan.

Enjoy reading and be sure to follow/favorite/review.

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**Chapter 36: He Knows**

*****DSB: 8 – Late Evening in NYC -AF*****

Silent tears falling down her face were the only sign she gave of the agony in her heart. When Loki had given the men permission to increase her torture she had been overcome with fear. She had managed to push that down. The fear was now easy to keep down because agony was the only thing that filled her. They had discussed, in front of her, what would be the most effective way to break her. Apparently they were getting tired of this and wanted to return to their regular work. She had almost told them that she would be happy for them to be done as well.

Deciding that physical pain alone wasn't enough, they decided to do something different. One of the brutes took a small cylindrical strip of metal, only about a foot long and not even the width of her pinky finger, from one of the work stations in the basement. Then the darkest-hair brute brought over the blow torch.

"Do you know what your problem is?" the dark haired man asked.

"You?" Anya sarcastically responded.

"No, it's that you haven't fully acknowledged the reality of your situation. You still have hope that this is going to end. That someday you will be free. That everything will return to normal."

With that he used the blow torch to light one end of the rod until it was burning bright red. Anya was wondering how he was not getting burned, but then realized that he was wearing a glove. "This will teach you otherwise." He told her after he shut off the blow torch. Beginning to understand his intent Anya tried to push herself out of the chair. The other men were instantly by her side clamping her down to the seat. "Hold her," he ordered them. He pressed the rod to the underside of her right forearm. Never had she known such pain.

Seventy-five – that was the number of times he used the rod to burn her skin. He reheated it every time. The pain was constant. However, it wasn't just the throbbing from the burns that was causing tears to fall. It was what he had written – "Property." Now everyone would know. She wasn't Loki's PA. She was his _property_. The thought crushed her she allowed the tears to fall from her face onto the concrete floor.

As the last letter was burned into her skin had passed out. The pain was too great. She woke up to Jack bandaging her arm with the others nowhere in sight. She thought she heard him mumbling something about infection, but she quickly passed out again. This time, she awoke on the concrete. Her burning arm was pressed against the cold cement ground giving her slight reprieve. She honestly didn't know how much more pain she could endure. She was beginning to lose hope.

Closing her eyes she fell into a fitful and painful sleep.

_Smoke filled the room. She could barely see the couch in front of her. Coughing, barley able to breathe, she tried crawling on the floor towards the door. The flames licked at her arm causing her to scream. She propelled herself forward. She did not want to die. Looking ahead to get her bearings, she saw a large dark shape. Moving towards it she found it was a body. It was Tony. She tried shaking him. Her gently calling his name quickly became loud shouting. No! He couldn't die on her! Not him! NO! TONY! NOT MY BROTHER!TONY!_

**(End of Trigger Warning)*******DSB: 9 – early morning in NYC- LF*****

Loki was deep in study of the Tesseract when he heard a beeping sound. Realizing it was his communication ear piece, he put it in. "What?" he testily asked. Whoever was bothering him better have a good reason.

"Sir, you need to come to the security room. We may have found something."

"Fine." They better have found something important.

A moment later he was at the security office. The fools reeked of fear. It disgusted him. _Always afraid._

"Report," he commanded the weaklings, wanting to get back to work.

"Sir," one man sitting in front of a computer closest to the door began, "As you are aware we monitor the video feeds for the entire tower."

"Get to the point."

"This is the feed from the garage," the man pointed to the screen in front of him. The video was of his slave, Anya Marvel, lying on the floor of the garage. She was curled up on the floor crying.

"What of it?"

"Let me rewind the time footage," the man said nervously before doing so. The video blurred slightly as it went backwards and the clock on the bottom of the screen changed. He only rewound it for a few minutes. Loki watched bored and disinterested as she simply lay there, twitching, obviously dreaming. Then she started speaking, mumbling at first to then full-on yelling, "No! Tony! Not my brother!" were her words. Loki's curiosity was piqued.

"What do we know about her family?"

"According to records, she is a single child, adopted as a baby by Lydia and Jim Marvel who live in Iowa."

That information reminded him of one of his first conversations with her. He questioned her about her connection with SHIELD. She said she was searching for her brother, whom he had killed. _What did she say his name was?_ After a moment he remembered, "Search SHIELD records for an Agent Coulson."

The man quickly did as Loki asked. After a few moments he answered, "There was an Agent Phil Coulson, killed nine days ago in action, sir." A photo of the man appeared on the screen. Oh yes, Loki remembered him. The Agent tried to interfere with his plans and was killed for it. He told Loki, before he died, that Loki would lose because he lacked conviction. _How wrong he was._ Mind reeling, Loki realized that that did not answer the question of who Anya's brother Tony was. _Tony…the name sounds familiar. No, it wasn't possible, was it?_ Loki wondered. _Could they be related?_ "Pull up Anya Marvel's birth certificate." A moment later the worker had it on the screen. It listed father unknown but mother as Maria Stark. A smile began to form on Loki's face. "Search for information about Maria Stark."

"Maria Stark, married to Howard Stark, mother of Tony Stark – "

" – that is enough," Loki cut off the report. So there was no need to find Jane Foster after all. He had something much better. _After all, what was a lover compared to family?_ he thought darkly to himself.

*****ATST at SHIELD Base in PENN. – TF*****

"Tell me some good news," Coulson demanded, abruptly entering the lab where Tony and Bruce had been working for the past two days.

"It's done," Bruce answered, clearly exhausted. He and Tony had just finished the device when Coulson came in

"Good, pack it up and be ready to leave in twenty," Coulson told them before leaving as swiftly as he came.

"Yes, sir!" Tony gave a mock salute once Coulson was already gone, causing Bruce to chuckle. Then they both got to work packing a few tools they may need in the field as well as their device. Within ten minutes everyone else was inside the lab. Everyone looked almost the same as when they had arrived at the base two days before, but with more supplies on hand.

"Before we leave," Coulson started, "Stark will explain the device and how to use it. That way if any of us have an open shot we can take it."

"This," Tony held up a small cube like shape, "is the transmitter blocker. It is magnetized so all you have to do is get it within a few inches of Loki's scepter and it will attach itself. As soon as it makes contact it will block the Tesseract's energy and end Loki's Jedi powers."

"How does it work?" Capsicle asked, "And what do you mean by Jedi powers?"

Tony scoffed, "It's a reference grandpa. It will stop the mind control. Also the science would take too long to explain to you." Tony realized he was being offensive and slightly ridiculous. He knew it wouldn't hurt him to be nicer, but considering the circumstances he didn't feel like playing nice.

"What does that mean?" Capsicle asked angrily.

Bruce quickly interjected, "Captain, it is just very complicated." Seeing that the man still wanted an explanation Bruce quickly thought of a good comparison, "Consider radio waves and radio towers. The Tesseract is the main tower that communicates through the scepter, almost like radio waves. Each time Loki touches the scepter to someone and takes control, it is the equivalent of a radio tower being built. Once that connection is established the scepter continuously transmits the waves of energy to the person, controlling them. This blocker, placed on the scepter directly, will block the power."

"Why not put it on the Tesseract directly?" Agent Barton asked.

"The Tesseract would burn through the device. It's too strong for our materials to withstand. The Scepter, however, is merely a conductor of its power. It can be stopped."

"What would stop Loki from removing the device from the scepter?" Agent Barton questioned.

Tony took point, "We designed it to merge with the scepter once it touches it. Also," Tony looked at Bruce, "Well said," Tony told his sciencebro before handing the device over to Coulson. He knew the agent would want to keep hold of it. That and Tony didn't have pocket room in his Iron Man suit.

So Coulson would carry the device. Sure, on some level Tony trusted the rest of the team, but they didn't have such a high personal investment in this. He and Coulson did.

"Sir," a voice came out of nowhere startling everyone. Recognizing it as JARVIS, Tony quickly took out the cell phone.

"What is it?"

"Sir, Loki has found out that Ms. Marvel is related to both you and Agent Coulson."

With those words he felt like his world had fallen apart.

"Is she alive?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes, sir. She is currently in the guest bedroom on the upper level lying unconscious."

"How did he find out?" Coulson asked.

"According to my surveillance, after falling unconscious from torture Ms. Marvel cried out Mr. Stark's name, Sir, in her sleep. A guard caught it on video and informed Loki. They proceeded to pull up her birth certificate and identified her mother as Maria Stark. They used SHIELD databases to verify the information and connect her to Tony Stark."

"DAMN IT!" Tony yelled kicking over the chair beside him. He was shaking in anger. She was in danger again because of him.

"Stark!" Coulson yelled causing Tony to freeze; the man almost never raised his voice. "That will help no one. JARVIS, you said she passed out from the torture. Are her injuries life threatening?"

"No, sir, besides her previous injuries she has two broken ribs, numerous bruises to her upper body, and burns on her right forearm."

"Burns?" Coulson repeated, almost to himself.

"Yes, sir, there are 75 small burns on the underside of Ms. Marvel's right forearm. The burns are arranged to spell out the work 'property'. It was the last burn that caused her to lose unconsciousness."

Tony had heard the expression "seeing red" before, in relation to a person being furious and losing control. He had never experienced it until that moment.

"Friend Bruce," Thor called out in warning, bringing Tony back to the present. _Shit_, was Tony's only thought. Bruce's skin was turning green. Before anyone could react, Romanoff ran forward and stuck a syringe in Bruce's neck. The man yelled in pain and a second later hit the floor unconscious.

"Someone care to explain just what happened?" Coulson asked.

"Dr. Banner gave me this," Romanoff held up the now empty syringe, "yesterday when I was in the cafeteria. He had been working on a theoretical sedation drug for a while. He rendered it yesterday. It would only work if injected before he completely changed. He gave it to me trusting that I could move fast enough to inject it."

Tony was about to object, wondering when Banner had had the time to make the drug, before recalling the past few days. Tony recalled seeing some formulas on Bruce's computer unrelated to the transmitter and him leaving the room for stretches of when Tony didn't need his help. Tony had just figured the man needed to pace.

"Well it worked," Coulson spoke, "Did he say how long the drug would last?"

"No, sir."

Coulson sighed, "Thor, could you carry Bruce, please. We need to get going."

"Great another walk through the woods," Tony muttered

"Who said anything about walking?" was Coulson's reply as he headed out of the room.

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**A/N: **So there was a lot in that chapter. First off, I am well aware it is the Mind Gem inside the scepter that gives the scepter its mind controlling powers; however, I wrote awhile back before I knew all that...so...I'm ignoring it. Call it a writers privilege.

Secondly, I did not know about the whole Natasha/Banner thing that was going to happen in Avengers 2 when I wrote this. That was just a coincidence. This story is still shipping Clintasha. I am still undecided on if I'll have AnyaXSteve or AnyaXBruce in this though.

Speaking of Avengers 2 - go see it! It was awesome! Any AoS fans will have a ton of fun with it. Also I will not be having A2 effect my current story line or sequel because that would majorly mess with my ships/plans. Of course I am nowhere near that point yet. I plan on writing Thor 2 in next.

Please review/favorite/follow.


	38. Chapter 37: The World

**A/N: ** As always, I only own my OCs and plot line. Thank you everyone who has followed/favorited! There is no greater thrill for a writer than to see his/her work being enjoyed by many different people around the world. Seriously love you all. Thank you also to those who have reviewed:

JediTara: Agents of Shield should answer your Helicarrier question. Loved AoU as well. Also, to your comment, the similarities in their back stories won't really be brought up in this story...possibly the sequel.

1248: I'm so glad to hear that my update brightened your day! Your comment made mine! Glad to have a voice for AnyaXSteve - I need a ship name for them.

Fairyfinder: Thank you! Also next time just ask, don't break something and pull a Thor ;). Thank you for agreeing with my author's privilege, and enjoying the story. As for Anya... well go ahead and read the chapter...poor thing...

CausticCottonballs: you comment made me laugh out load. I agree things got real, but you have no idea how much s*** is about to go down. That being said enjoy reading!

**Triggerwarning:violence, **although no worse than normal. Things are about to happen people. Chapter 41 is the start of the final battle/confrontation. Prepare thine selves.

**As always - enjoy, follow, favorite, review, and share **

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**Chapter 37: The World**

*****DSB: 9 – mid morning in NYC- AF*****

_Soft_ was the first word that came to Anya's mind as she woke up. Unconsciously she sighed and snuggled her head more into her pillow. Anya froze. _Pillow? _She was in a bed. She wasn't in the basement.

The memory of yesterday rushed back to her; shoving it back, unwilling to deal with it at the moment, Anya took a deep breath. Keeping her eyes closed, she ever so casually reached for the blanket covering her and pulled it up to hide half of her face. She didn't want anyone watching to see that she was awake. Or more importantly to see that she was talking.

"Jarvis," she whispered, "Can you speak to me so no one outside this room can hear you?" She wasn't sure if this would work. She wasn't sure how Jarvis operated. She just knew that he was apparently in every room. She hadn't tried this before in case she would get caught; however, she needed answers and felt that this was the best way.

Immediately after asking she heard the AI answer, "Yes, Ms. Marvel"

Anya almost cried in relief, "Jarvis, is anyone else in my room?"

"No, Ms., but there are several guards down the hall."

"How did I get here?"

"Ms. you were carried in while you were unconscious."

"You wouldn't know why Jarvis?"

"Loki ordered it after finding that you were related to Mr. Stark." At those words Anya froze realizing she was in deep shit.

"Jarvis, can you inform Tony that Loki knows?" Maybe her brothers would be able to help her. She knew they had a plan, so now would be the time to act.

"Ms., Mr. Stark and the other Avengers have already been informed."

Anya was about to ask Jarvis to explain when he spoke warning her, "Ms., two guards are approaching the room."

"Jarvis," she spoke quickly choking the words out, "tell Tony and Phil that I am sorry, and not to do anything stupid and that I love them."

Anya heard no reply, but realized why when the door to her room opened a few seconds later. Light filled the room, causing Anya to cringe. She wasn't even given the chance to "wake up" as moments after the lights came on her covers were ripped away and a pair of arms grabbed hers. She didn't bother to struggle as they pulled her out of bed; mainly because one guard gripped her arm right where her burns were at, causing her sever pain. Add that to the broken ribs, knife and stab wounds plus bruises – Anya realized she wasn't exactly in the best shape. She doubted that she looked much better since she was in the same clothes since it all began. Of course that didn't matter to her at this point. She only hoped to survive the next few minutes.

The guards dragged her down the hallway into the living room. Loki was standing in the middle of the room, waiting for her. As soon as the guards let go of her arms she dropped to the ground, her legs not used to the weight after the past few days.

"Loki," she greeted, throat hoarse, kneeling on the ground. She slowly stood up.

"Did you think," he began moving slowly towards her, "I wouldn't find out?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you know you talk in your sleep?" Now she was actually confused and allowed that to show on her face. "You cried out for your brother Tony," he expanded. She thought for a second and then it clicked. _That was how he found out._

"Tony is a common name," she whispered unconvincingly.

"But Maria Stark is not." She said nothing because she had no response. "Tell me, why didn't you simply obey my order? It may have delayed your exposure."

"I…I couldn't condemn another to what I knew could be my fate."

"Ah, yes, your fate…then let us not prolong this. Where is your brother?"

"I don't know."

Loki stared at her a moment before raising his hand. Electric shocks radiated out from her accursed arm band, flooding her with pain. "Tell me," he demanded as the pain intensified.

"I don't know!"

"Answer!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Tears filled her eyes as she tried not to let the pain consume her. Then as abruptly as the shocks began, they ended. She was on her knees in front of him, barely able to breathe shaking from the pain.

Loki placed his hand on her head, and pushed back, forcing her to look up at him. "You will tell me."

Tears filled her eyes, "I can't tell you what I don't know," was her answer. She blinked and then she was on the ground, pain covering the side of her face where he had smacked her. She heard the snap of fingers and in a moment she was being held up by the two guards who had brought her into the room.

Loki stepped closer to her, his hand holding her head up looking into her eyes. "All this for a brother who was never there for you, and for a team that has done nothing but brought you misfortune?"

Collecting whatever moisture she could from her dry mouth she spat in Loki's face, "Don't insult my brother," she growled. A sharp blow was delivered to her stomach, When her vision cleared she saw blood on the carpet in front of her. _Not a good sign_, she realized.

A hand painfully grabbed her hair and yanked it back. A knife was now on her exposed throat. "Never do that again." Anya froze in fear. "Now tell me, where is he?"

"You…you won't kill me…" she breathlessly replied.

"Certain of that?"

"Kill me and you have no bargaining chip."

"Ah, but I could always fall back on my original plan of finding Ms. Foster."

"True, but you have no guarantees you will find her, and I am already found."

Loki stared at her for a moment before drawing his knife back and releasing his hold on her head. With a wave of his hand, the knife disappeared as suddenly as it had materialized. In its place was his scepter.

"It is time for you to see the truth," he stated simply moving it towards her.

"NO! Wait!" Her yelling caused him to stop, " You don't want to do that."

"Oh really, pray tell."

Anya took a deep breath. She had to convince him. Otherwise he would use the scepter to control her and she would tell him everything. "It's illogical. You… you made me your slave," it hurt her to say that word, "not because you had a shortage of staff. Almost everyone here is under your control. They will do anything you tell them."

"I'm failing to see the negative," he stated bored.

"Exactly. Despite that you brought me here with my free will intact. You wanted someone to argue with, someone who could still think for themselves." Anya watched his expression change from one of boredom to contemplation.

"And why would I want that?" he asked quietly.

She was tempted to state her real theory but dared not, "Because of what you just said moments earlier. You are bored. What challenge is left for you King Loki? You have America under your control. You will shortly have the rest of the world. What then?"

She paused, letting him consider her words before continuing. "You are logical. You have told me before that I can be the same. That is why I am here. That is why I should not be 'shown the truth' as you put it because you would rather prove to me this truth, argue it with someone, rather than force it upon me and make me a mindless slave."

Silence rang throughout the room. Loki's face seemed blank, but consideration was clear in his eyes which were locked onto her own. "I will give you credit for creativity, but that is stretching the truth."

"If it is stretching the truth, that means there is truth still there."

Loki, to her surprise, gave her a breathless laugh. "You have some manner of wit. It would make this miserable planet more bearable….Fine." With a twist of his wrist the scepter was gone. "Answer my questions honestly and completely, and I will allow you to retain your delusion of free will. Lie to me and I will turn you, order you to speak the truth, and kill everyone you know before killing you."

Anya's heart was in her throat. Her heart pounding, she slowly nodded. He stood silently, waiting. "I told you the truth. The last time I spoke with my brother was before I came here. He said they had a plan, but I told them not to tell me."

"Because then you could not tell me," he finished for her. She nodded. "Where was he?"

"He…he was in Malibu, California near his house there."

"How did you know about the scepter's power?"

And so the questioning began. Anya answered truthfully, but as incompletely as she could without him knowing. The biggest thing, she realized, was for him not to find out about Jarvis. Still, she couldn't help but feel that she was betraying them. She was betraying her family. After what felt like hours, it finally ended. She was dragged back to her room where she promptly collapsed on her bed tears falling down her face. _I did the right thing…right?_ She tried and failed to reassure herself. "I am so sorry, brothers," she wept into her pillow.

*****ATST (afternoon) Driving on 1-80 E to NYC – BF*****

Exhaustion was what Bruce was feeling at the moment. He felt like he had been thrown against a brick wall – which had happened before so he felt comfortable using the comparison. Feeling groggy, he slowly tried to recall not only what had happened but also where he was. His legs were bent and cramped, he was sitting upright and his head was against a window. He was in a car…_when did I get in a car?_…then it came back to him. He had been overcome with anger at Loki, then there was a flash of movement, then burning pain and then nothing. _So the serum worked_.

"Afternoon sunshine," Bruce heard Stark's voice coming from right next to him. Looking around Bruce saw that he was in the back of a five passenger van. Stark was to his left followed by Captain. Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton were in individual seats in the middle of the car while Thor was in the front with Agent Coulson driving.

"Where are we?"

"On 1-80E nearing New Jersey," Agent Barton answered. Bruce thought for a moment, calculating distance traveled and the time they left. He had been out for approximately four hours.

"You have been out for four hours Doctor Banner," Agent Romanoff informed him.

_Nice to know my calculations were right_, he thought to himself before asking "Where did we get the car?"

"SHIELD," Agent Barton answered. Bruce wanted to reply 'obviously.' He figured that out. He was really questioning how they had driven out of a densely-wooded park with a minivan. Thankfully, Stark understood and after rolling his eyes at Agent Barton's answer told Bruce about the underground garage and tunnel from the park.

After a moment of silence Bruce spoke, "Agent Romanoff…thank you…"

She just nodded her head without turning around. It worked for him. A little while later with the car in comfortable but tense silence, they passed a toll booth and a "Welcome to New Jersey" sign. They would arrive in a few hours.

"What is the plan?" Bruce asked, breaking the silence.

***** ATST in NYC- LF******

Staring at the scepter in his hand, Loki found himself questioning his earlier action or rather lack thereof. It was late, with a cool breeze in the air which he did not notice. He never noticed the cold anymore. He had unconsciously come to the roof to think after his "talk" with Anya. It made sense for him to come up here though; it was where the battle had started.

With a sigh he realized that he was beginning to tire. Not of the day, but of this hunt. He had been told from youth that he would be king. Now he was simply fulfilling that. He was ready for the fight to be over and it almost was. He now had the key in his hand, or rather in his tower. Loki smirked at that thought. Fate seemed kind to him. After all, how often did an enemy's weakness willingly come to the other side?

Then it hit him - that is why he hadn't used the scepter with her. In that moment, when he was about to turn her, he had allowed her logic to pause him as it had made sense, but now he saw the truth. He had done it to break them more. The Avengers would crumble when they realized that their friend – their sister – had turned on them. She wouldn't turn have turned on them willingly, but they wouldn't know that. He only needed to project that image for them. Turning back to head inside Loki started making plans. It was time to call a press conference.

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**A/N: First off,** just want to remind everyone that Loki can make things appear/disappear. Recall in Thor, after Loki "dismissed" Heimdall from his position and he waved his hands to make the casket appear out of nowhere. I will admit, however, to taking liberties that the ability extended to other weapons including the scepter. Also that he could do it with one well. **Secondly, **I hope you enjoy that cliff hanger. Have fun thinking about what he is going to do. I think it's rather clever. **Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed. Feel free to review, follow, favorite, and share my story. **


	39. Chapter 38: Unexpected

**A/N: ***Disclaimer: I only own my OCs and plot* Hey everyone, sorry it's been a bit. A big shout out to my Beta for helping me edit this story. **THANK YOU **to everyone who has favorited, followed, and reviewed. Speaking of reviews:

Fairyfinder: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. Yeah, poor Anya. You are right he has something planned...

So, I have the feeling I may lose a few people over this chapter. When I first came up with this idea for Loki's plan I thought it was crazy and wouldn't work; however, my muse demanded it be written. I hope I wrote it well enough to have to sticking around. With that being said, I hope you enjoy. Please review, favorite, follow and share.

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**Chapter 38: Unexpected**

**DSB: 9 - Evening in NYC – AF*****

Anya was confused. She had collapsed on her bed after being interrogated by Loki and betraying her family; needless to say she had not rested well. She woke up, only a few hours later according to the clock on the wall, to a doctor checking and bandaging her wounds. That in and of itself wasn't too confusing, after all the guard had patched her up before. She figured Loki didn't want her to die just yet. What confused her was some guard, whom she had never seen before, handing her a dress and ordering her to shower, wear it, and look presentable.

Anya was glad to get clean, but putting on an obviously expensive evening gown was not her idea of a good time. Added that to the fact that she was a prisoner and fearful for her life – she was at a loss. The silk gown was a dark green in color and ankle length. It had a high neck line and long sleeves, covering her body completely. Simple and very plain, it was perfect for hiding her wounds, she thought sarcastically. Looking at her face in the mirror, however, she cringed. She had severe bruising to her face; one checkbone sporting a darker bruise than the other. Digging out the foundation she hardly ever used, she did her best to diminish the color. After that she used heavy eye makeup in hopes of distracting others from looking there. Simply leaving her long hair down she decided it would have to do.

The guard, who had waited outside her door, escorted her down the hallway to the living room and stood watch there. She entered the room slowly, relieved and irritated to find it empty. Tired, she was about to sit down when she heard a noise from behind. It was Loki. Having only seen him in what she assumed was Asgardian clothing she was startled to find him wearing an expensive black suit. It made him look human. _How looks are deceiving_, she thought wryly.

"I suppose you are wondering what this is about."

"I admit to being curious," she replied cautiously causing him to smirk.

"I have decided your fate."

_Someone is feeling dramatic_, she thought to herself. Raising an eyebrow she responded sarcastically, "What? To be a Barbie doll?"

His eyes hardened, but he didn't respond right away. She wondered if he even knew what that was. At the very least he probably understood that she had made a snarky remark. Loki slowly walked around her, circling like a vulture before stopping to stand a few feet in front of her. "No, I have summoned you because in a few moments you will further betray your family, break the Avengers, and end their stupid rebellion."

"Never."

"You will and all by doing a simple thing."

"And what is that?" She squared her shoulders, preparing for the worst.

"Become my consort."

She hadn't expect that. Outwardly Anya froze at Loki's last words. Inwardly she was freaking out. "You have got to be kidding me," slipped out of her mouth. His gaze turned into a glare.

"I am not jesting."

Anya started physically backing away from him as she panicked, "By consort you mean wife? You want me to marry you?"

"That is the human equivalent, yes."

"What the hell is wrong with you?! First off, you hate humans. Secondly, you hate me. Thirdly, you hate humans. So why in the world would you want me to be your consort?!"

Loki stepped forward and squeezed her left arm stopping her escape. She forced herself to stand still as his grip tugged on her wounded shoulder. She was in enough pain and didn't need to add to it. She couldn't help but notice how cold his hand was. Forcing herself to listen she heard his response.

"You are correct. You are born of a pathetic race, and I don't particularly care for you. The reason, however, is rational. What more would hurt your family than seeing you choose me over them?"

"Oh? And All-Logical One, why would I agree to this?"

"If you do not, I will force you to kill everyone you care about. Then I will kill you, painfully." Anya stared at him in disbelief – not at his threat, she knew he would carry it out, but rather at this situation. _Wasn't I just a regular disaster recovery employee a few months ago,_ she wondered to herself. "What is your answer my dear?" His cold voice cut through her thoughts.

Trapped forever, married to a monster or kill everyone she loves. _Such great options,_ Anya thought. "…I will on one condition."

"Oh, and what is that?"

"The Avengers all live and with no major injuries."

His grip on her arm tightened, "You honestly think I would agree to that?" She forced herself to remain standing upright and look into his glaring eyes.

"Why not? They are no real threat to you, and once locked up they can do no harm. Without his suit Tony Stark is just a man. The same goes for Agent Coulson without his weapons and Agent Barton without his bow. Thor without his hammer and Captain without his shield are men as well, stronger than most, but still able to be stopped. Same with Agent Romanoff who is just a woman good at hand-to-hand combat. Throw them all in a prison, and they will not be able to harm you."

Loki seemed to consider her words. "And what about the beast?"

She cringed internally at that reference. She did not know Dr. Banner personally, but her family did and from what she knew he was a good man. Still she kept her thoughts to herself and promptly responded, "Bruce Banner is a man with an anger issue. Besides, SHIELD has to have something that can hold him."

His grip on her arm loosened; however, his eyes were unyielding. She was bargaining with the devil and prayed her argument would be enough. "Six lives for one person – seems a high price."

Going on instinct she consciously tried to relax, "Perhaps, but it would stop an enemy."

He stepped closer to her, "An enemy I would have stopped eventually."

"True, but not as simply as this," she responded. Steeling herself, she gave him a light smile as she covered his hand with her own. "Besides, are you not the bored one? I can play the good wife. And while I may only live for a percentage of your life, I can entertain you for that long."

"Trying to seduce me?" He whispered teasingly, but his eyes were dark.

"Only if it worked," was her reply. Internally freaking out, Anya wondered how the hell she said those words, but she hoped it worked. Loki simply stared at her for a moment before letting go of her arm.

"We have a press conference to attend," was all he said as he moved towards the elevator.

"What is your answer?" she demanded calmly without taking a step. Loki stopped and turned towards her. He raised his hand, instantly causing her to cringe and close her eyes as she expected an electric shock, but none followed. Rather she felt a light weight around her neck and something on her finger. Confused she opened her eyes to find a long golden chain around her neck with a pendant of a snake biting its tail with a green gem in the middle. The ring was the same image – a serpent with a green gem - and it rested on the second finger of her left hand.

"That is my answer," he replied evenly. She nodded slowly before following after him towards the elevator.

*****ATST in Iowa – Jim Marvel focused *****

"Lydia, please stop pacing," Jim asked his wife gently for the twentieth time that day. They hadn't heard from their daughter in a few days, which considering the circumstances worried them; hence, Lydia's pacing. They had left numerous voice mails on her cell phone, but had no way of contacting her or her co-workers. Lydia brought up the idea that they try calling the main New York City recovery work number and ask for her. While it was a good idea, it wasn't a smart one. That could potentially draw attention to them and their daughter. And any attention, considering they were helping the Avengers, wasn't a good idea right now.

Lydia let out a huge sigh and sat down at the kitchen table with Jim. "How can you sit so still?" she questioned him.

"Because I have faith in our daughter and the Avengers." Jim reached across the table and grabbed her hand, "It will be okay."

Lydia nodded sadly, unconvinced. Standing up abruptly after a moment she walked into the living room. A few seconds later Jim heard the sound of the TV. Getting up from the table he walked into the room where his wife was staring blankly at the TV. Sitting next to her, he vaguely recognized some show about a writer following around a detective in New York City.

The program was halfway through when the screen abruptly changed to show a room of some sort filled with reporters, a podium, and the Stark Tower logo in the background. Jim held his breath. There was loud clamoring before a suited man, whom neither Jim nor Lydia recognized, stepped up to the podium, causing the noise to die down.

"Thank you all for coming. We have gathered because our leader, King Loki of Asgard, has something important to announce to the general public. He will be taking no questions."

The man stepped off the platform and Loki stepped on. The man looked different, more human, than the last time Jim saw him, but Jim chalked that up to his clothing since before he was in some weird battle leather with a cape and helmet, but now he was in a nice suit.

"My subjects, there are several pieces of news I have to share with you. The first is that several other countries of Earth have already sworn allegiance to me, your King. Soon we will have not just a country to be proud of, but an empire. Furthermore, I have reason to believe that soon the terrorist group known as the Avengers, who are responsible for the alien invasion on this city, will soon be caught."

The self-made king paused before he continued, "The main reason I have called an assembly, however, is to share the wonderful news of my pending marriage. You have met her before. Previously in charge of the recovery of New York City, but more recently working as my assistant, meet my fiancé, Anya Marvel."

As soon as he said her name both Jim and Lydia froze in panic and confusion. _It couldn't be her_, Jim thought to himself, _no way, _but surely enough his daughter walked onto the stage. She looked beautiful, but, to him, she seemed cold and distant. She stood next to Loki, who put his arm around her waist, and smiled at the press.

"No way," Lydia spoke out loud towards the TV.

The press were all shouting at once, cameras flashing. The couple stepped back slightly from the podium as the man who had introduced Loki before came in front and tried to get everyone to quiet down.

A loud voice popped up over the others, "Ms. Marvel, why are you marrying a man whom you have only known for a little over a week?" The other reporters started shouting, asking her to answer the question.

Anya looked at Loki as if to ask if she should answer. The man gave a slight nod. That alone was enough to concern Jim. If he knew one thing about his daughter, it was she didn't ask permission from a man before doing anything.

Anya stepped forward towards the microphone, causing all the reporters to quiet down. "While my time with Loki has been short it has been long enough for me to recognize my love for him. And if there is one truth in this world, it is that love has no limits." Jim couldn't help but think that would be beautiful if not for the fact she was talking about a monster.

She continued on, "My first impression of Loki was one of admiration, for defending us against the alien invasion. This admiration grew into respect as I worked with him in recovery efforts in the city. During the short time I have spent working beside him as his assistant, that respect grew into love." Anya paused to turn and give Loki a loving smile, which he returned.

Looking back at the reporters she continued, "I know many would have misgivings about our engagement after so short a time, I had them myself, but those misgivings did not nor will they stop me from wanting to be with the man I love. We do plan on a long engagement, but wanted to announce it now. After all in a time of change, when many are uncertain about the direction our country will take and what will occur, is not the knowledge and profession of love that much more important? I hope all of you will consider what I have said and simply share in our joy." Finished speaking she turned back and walked towards Loki, who held out his hand. Holding her hand, he kissed her check before leading them both off the platform. Then just as suddenly as it appeared, it ended. The detective drama was back on the TV.

Jim looked over at Lydia who had tears rolling down her formed in his chest. _There has to be a reason_, he realized. His daughter wouldn't marry a man who framed innocent people and hunted the people she loved.

"Jim," his wife sobbed his name. Sitting closer to her, he pulled her into a comforting embrace.

"Shhh, my love," he tried to calm her. "It will all work out. We raised her well. We have to trust her…" his voice broke at the end of that sentence. Saying a silent prayer he asked God to be with his baby girl and to help the Avengers stop their new king. Sitting there, holding his wife, tears rolling down his face he was faced with the cold truth that there was nothing he could do but hope and pray the best for his baby girl.

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**A/N: **Soooo what do you think? Loki's and the Avengers' POVs will be coming up, which will help develop the story/Loki's crazy plan. By the way, did anyone enjoy the Castle reference?

On a side note, I'm writing another Avengers' story. If you are interested go onto my page for the link.


	40. Chapter 39: Chocolate Milk

**A/N: **As always, I own only my OCs and plot. Sorry everyone for the delay in updating, but I have goodish news. By two weeks time the rest of this story will be completely posted. Reason being I'm joining the Peace Corps, leaving the USA, and being posted somewhere that I don't know with I don't know how good of internet if any. I am already started on a sequel for this story and will hopefully post sometime during my service, but just in case I wanted to give you guys the rest of this story. That being said, you will be having some unedited chapters coming your way soon because my wonderful beta can't edit 6 chapters in less than 2 weeks.

With that shared let me just thank everyone who is following or has favorited this story. Please read, enjoy, review, follow, favorite, and share.

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**Chapter 39: Chocolate Milk**

*****DSB:9 – Evening in New Jersey minutes before press conference- SF*****

_Time was running out_, Steve thought to himself as he watched the light fade and the stretch of road continue onward. At least, he reminded himself, they were almost in New York; although, they didn't have much of a plan. Right now the idea was to sneak into the tower, using Stark's computer to hide them, and try to find Loki's scepter. The issue, however, was that Loki could hide the damn thing.

Steve recalled what had happened in Germany; when Loki had raised his hands in surrender, his helmet and external armor had disappeared. Steve suspected that SHIELD had only been able to collect the scepter because Loki didn't have it in his hands at the time. The large assumption they were all riding on was that Loki would have it to defend himself. Meaning that they had to sneak in and alert Loki but not his guards, all the while keeping Anya safe. _It'll be a piece of cake,_ Steve though sarcastically.

Steve was brought sharply out his thoughts when he heard a loud beep followed by a computerized voice that he recognized as Stark's AI, "Sir, Loki is holding a press conference in front of Stark Tower."

Stark fished his phone out from his pocket, before holding it up for Bruce and Steve to see. "Pull it up Jarvis."

"Yes, sir."

Tony, Bruce and Steve watched as a suited man introduced Loki. As soon as he began to talk, Steve started to feel anxious. Something wasn't right. When Loki mentioned other countries joining him, Steve softly cursed although he couldn't say he was surprised. America always had enemies. He heard others in the car react similarly. No one paid much mind when he said the Avengers would be caught soon, Stark even scoffed. What happened next however shocked them all. Stark almost dropped the phone.

"WHAT?!" Agent Coulson yelled from the front of the car having heard Loki announce his engagement to his sister. Glancing at Stark, Steve saw the man straight-faced, but his eyes burning with anger. Steve felt like his world was shaken. He tried to remind himself that it wouldn't happen. She wouldn't or couldn't actually agree to this. Then she spoke about love…and she smiled at him…she smiled at him! She let him kiss her cheek! Steve clenched his fists. Loki the bastard had to be manipulating her.

"Jarvis, do you have an explanation for this?"

"I believe so sir. However, first you should know that Ms. Marvel has already informed Loki of your past whereabouts and everything she knew about the team."

Silence and tension filled the car. "Does he know about you?"

"No, sir. Also I have a message from Ms. Marvel for you and Agent Coulson. "

"What is it?"

The computer played the message in her voice, "Tell Tony and Phil that I am sorry, and not to do anything stupid and that I love them." Steve's heart hurt hearing her speak. He could tell that she was in pain.

"Jarvis play all surveillance footage from the start of your conversation with her to the start of the press conference."

"Sir, the total time would be five hours and fifteen minutes,"

"Do – "

" – Stark wait," Coulson called out from the front of the car.

"Coulson we need to know damn it!"

"I know, and I agree, but we are going to be into the city in an hour. Wait until we find shelter and then we can all watch it together."

"We shouldn't wait –"

"Stark," Steve spoke, "this isn't the right place. Agent Coulson has to focus on driving and of everyone in the car, besides you, he deserves to see it the most."

Stark glared at Steve before slowly nodding. "This is going to be a long hour," Agent Barton muttered. Steve couldn't agree more.

*****ATST in NYC – AF*****

When Anya was younger she had wanted to be an actress. Walking away from the press conference, holding Loki's cold unyielding hand, she hoped she gave a good enough performance. Her check burned cold where he had kissed her. Finally inside the elevator she let go of his hand as he did the same.

He didn't say a word, but she could feel him staring at her as the elevator rose. Stepping out of the elevator she headed directly into the attached kitchen. Opening the refrigerator door she pulled out a glass of milk and the chocolate syrup. She could see him standing just to the side of the kitchen island staring at her.

"Would you like some?" she asked calmly grabbing a glass. There was no response so she grabbed another glass and a spoon. He said nothing as she made the drinks and put the milk, syrup, and dirty spoon away.

Only then did he speak as he picked up his glass, "What do you call this beverage?"

"Chocolate milk," she answered before drinking some. Anya had made it not just because she loved the drink, but because she hadn't eaten for a while causing her to be both hungry and nauseous. _Hopefully the milk would help and then maybe I can eat something else_, she thought to herself. She noticed that Loki only took a sip after she drank some of hers.

"You did well."

For a second she almost thought that he was referring to making the chocolate milk. Realizing what he meant Anya was a bit stunned. _Since when did the self-possessed king compliment anyone_, she wondered, but aloud she responded with a simple "thank you."

"However, I do not recall informing you of our wedding date," he added, his voice was tight, but Anya had a hard time distinguishing what the tone meant.

Gripping her glass she chose her words carefully, "No, but it is for the best if we wait a while."

"Do share,"

"As the reporters pointed out, I have only known you for a little over a week. If we were to be married right away people will be suspicious. People would see me as a power hungry slut and you as a weak-willed man. So we wait a while, let people see me working with you and watch you proceed in uniting the countries around the world. Give them reassurance. I told you once you had the people's fear, but needed their respect. Now you have both but still need to give them reassurance and that only comes in time."

Anya struggled to keep eye contact with him. She didn't know whether it was how much pain she was in, how tired she was or her losing her touch, but her life was on the line and she could not read his emotions or glimpse his thoughts through his eyes and his facial expression or lack thereof. "Besides," she added softly almost ruefully after a period of silence, "the damage is already done."

"I cannot help but wonder if you are simply trying to bide your time in hope that your precious Avengers will save you," he added after her comment.

Anya's heart tightened; setting her glass down on the kitchen island, she slowly walked around the structure to stand in front of him. "Over a week ago I made a bargain with you: a favor in exchange for permission to help others. That then became my servitude for the lives of those I helped. Earlier today that evolved to my complete life and in return you would spare the lives of my family and friends. This ring – " Anya raised her left hand up to just below her face with the back of it facing him, " – symbolizes that promise. A promise I will not break if you keep your word." She lowered her hand and continued to keep eye contact. "What I did earlier was me keeping that promise. I will be the attentive assistant. I will be caring fiancé. I will be the loving wife. I am not biding my time or any such thing. I know my fate."

"Why would you do all that for them?"

Anya smiled softly at him thinking of her family, "Because everyone has a price and you found mine." With that she walked away, grabbed her milk and headed towards the door.

"Good night Loki," she called out before heading down the hallway towards her bedroom. She waited until she was in her bathroom with the sink water running before sinking to her knees and cry.

***** An hour later in NYC in Anya's old apartment on upper west side - TF*****

During the car ride to New York, the team discussed the best place to hide once they reached the city. Coulson was the one to suggest Anya's old apartment. Red and Birdbrain informed the rest of them that it was empty. Anya had told the landlord she was moving out early, but technically she still had the place for the rest of the month. Normally apartments, especially where she lived, would have been taken as soon as they were available but since the invasion more people were moving out of the city than in. So they had the perfect place to lay low. It even had furniture. Tony naturally had Jarvis check online that it was still unoccupied and it was.

Coulson ordered everyone to stay in the car while Romanoff checked out the apartment and the area around it. As soon as she gave the clear Tony practically threw himself out of the car. Never again would he squish himself next to two other men in the back of a tiny car, especially if Capsicle was one of those people.

Once in the apartment, Tony stood by the front door looking around with interest. He had only been inside it once before, and well it wasn't for a pleasant visit. Trying to rid himself of that memory, Tony observed his teammates' reactions. Red and Hawk seemed comfortable in the place; they went straight to a bedroom and dumped their stuff. Coulson did the same. To Tony that made sense since both Red and Hawk had spent time there before and Coulson had led the abduction plan for his sister, so he would know the apartment's layout. Rogers and Bruce were both looking around with mild interest. Thor, like Tony, however, stayed in the living room.

"Don't feel like fighting for the last bed, Muscles?" Tony spoke after a few minutes of silence.

"No, it is not that Man of Iron. It simply feels strange to be in the maiden's rooms without her here."

Tony almost rolled his eyes, "It's an apartment first off, and it is not even hers anymore. Think of it as staying in an empty house." Thor looked at him for a moment before nodding and walking down the hallway, probably to claim the last room.

"Hello, couch," Tony said to himself before sitting down. A few minutes later the rest of the team had gathered in the living room.

"Shall we?" was all Coulson said. Instantly everyone knew what he meant.

"Actually, I think it wise if someone just summarizes what happens for me," Banner voiced his concerns, "I …we don't want the Other Guy coming out right now."

Coulson just nodded before adding, "Why don't you go and pick up some food. Barton, go with him." To his credit, the Hawk simply nodded before walking out the front door and was followed by Bruce. Red stared at Coulson for a few moments before he responded to the obvious question, " He is the only one besides myself not labeled a terrorist and whose picture isn't plastered everywhere." Everyone else nodded in understanding before gathering on the couch and the area around it.

Holding the small phone at arm's length Tony spoke, "Jarvis, play the footage."

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**A/N: **Dun dun dunnnnnn! Atleast you know you won't have to wait long to hear the rest. Please review/follow/favorite/share!


	41. Chapter 40: Time to Wait

**A/N: **As always, I own only my OCs and plot. A big thank you to everyone who is following/favorited my story. Thank you as well for the reviews:

Fairyfinder: Thank you. I'm glad you liked the chapter. Also no need to pinch yourself this is really happening.

1248: Happy Belated Birthday! I'm glad I was able to give you a present. Thank you for the well wishes. Also this won't be the end. I'm already started on the sequel.

So as promised here is another chapter. This is the last chapter before the show down. It is almost here! A small disclaimer for this chapter: domestic violence is mentioned towards the end.

_If you are in an abusive relationship, please seek help and get out. If someone you know is in an abusive relationship, the most important thing to remember is to believe them and stand by them. Remember that men too can be victims as well, and it is harder for them to find support. Most areas don't even have shelters for men. _

_For help,_**if you live in the USA**_, call the **national hotline** at __**1-800-799-SAFE (7233),**__ or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY); Advocates who are deaf are available Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (PST) by videophone (855-812-1001), instant messenger (DeafHotline) or email (deafhelp )._

_** If ****you live in the UK, men** can call** 0808-801-0327** . for help. **Women, in the UK**, can call **0808-200-0247** . for assistance._

_I only mentioned those two countries because that is where the majority of the readers for this fanfiction are located. If you are outside of the US &amp; UK, and you could not find any resources online, feel free to PM me and I join you in the research process to find where you can seek aid._

With that said, it is now for the chapter. Enjoy and then please follow/favorite/review/share.

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**Chapter 40: Time to Wait**

*****DSB:9 – late evening in Stark Tower – LF*****

Staring at the chocolate milk, Loki couldn't help but wonder where this path would lead. Anya, a human whom he acknowledged as being intelligent, had become his slave and would soon be his consort. At first she had simply been a pawn in his kingdom, working desperately to maintain her own world. Then she was a riddle. Having her around slowly became a convenience. Now she was a means to an end. That is why he said they would marry. He hadn't planned on going through with it.

She was right when she question his decision saying how he hated humans. She was wrong, however, when she said he hated her. It wasn't hate…rather she was simply a tool to be used. He planned to use her to get the Avengers and then kill her.

Now he wasn't sure if he would. Maybe he would marry her. There was some sense behind it. It would help pacify his human subjects. It would torment the Avengers, if he allowed them to live; that was a different matter of course. There was also something about her…it's not like she would live that long anyway. He could always send her away later if she became an inconvenience or burden.

Finishing the sweet-tasting beverage, Loki decided her fate was a decision that could wait until after he captured the Avengers. For now he had more important things to focus on, like his global expansion.

*****DSB: 10- around 1 am in Anya's old apartment – Coulson F*****

The video feed ended with Anya entering her bathroom, her sobs barely heard over the sound of running water. Everyone stared in silence as the feed cut off and the phone returned to a blank screen. After a few minutes Dr. Banner entered the room. He and Barton had returned from the grocery long ago, but while Barton watched the security tapes Dr. Banner had simply gone into a bedroom and waited. Phil imagined that he had noticed the silence and had come in for an explanation.

Still Phil couldn't bring himself to speak. It was too much. His little sister, whom he had only known for a few months, had been through too much. She had been made a slave, had been tortured, and now was being coerced into marrying the man who was responsible for it all – all for his and his team's sake.

"Anya why?" Stark whispered in a strangled tone.

"Isn't obvious?" Captain angrily answered "She did it for us."

"I know that," Stark bitterly answered.

Before Captain responded Dr. Banner spoke, "Someone summarize."

"Loki was going to brainwash Anya," Phil began, "She convinced him not to and in turn gave him intel on what we did in the past. Then in order to get to us, to break us, he ordered her to marry him. She agreed, but only if _he_ agreed to let us live unharmed."

Bruce leaned heavily on the wall, "How did she convince him to agree to that?"

"By downplaying us… and…" Phil couldn't say it.

Romanoff picked up where he left off, "She seduced him. Said she would be everything he needed and would entertain him for the rest of his life."

"In less creepy terms, I would like to point out," Barton added. Silence filled the room as everyone tried to digest what they had seen and heard.

"Jarvis" Stark broke the silence.

"Yes, Sir?"

"No, I don't want you. I mean, Jarvis is the reason she gave up the intel."

"What are you talking about Stark?" Romanoff pushed for an explanation.

"She knew that if she was turned and put under Loki's mind control, that she would tell him everything."

"Right, she knew that because of me," Barton added.

"Exactly, and she knew that that couldn't happen because we would need Jarvis to get into the tower. He has been our biggest edge," Stark explained.

"So she gave him answers, but kept Jarvis and other important information out of it," Captain continued.

After a bit of silence Barton spoke up, "Your sister is intelligent."

"You have no idea," Stark responded and Phil simply nodded.

"Let's get some sleep," Phil said after a few moments. " We have a big night coming up. So rest and prepare." With that he got up and headed to the bedroom he had claimed earlier. _Time to pretend to sleep_, Phil thought to himself.

*****DSB:10 – early morning in Stark Tower- AF*****

To no surprise, Anya awoke in pain. It was barely light outside. Anya reckoned that she had only slept a few hours. Dried blood, which had leaked through a few of her bandages, dotted her pj shirt. Well, it wasn't one she cared for anyway. In pain from the simple act of breathing, thanks to her cracked ribs and knife wounds, she found it difficult to get out of bed; dressing, she realized, was not going to be pleasant.

Throwing professionalism to the wind, she slipped on a pair of black sweatpants with her favorite AC/DC shirt; though, even putting that on was painful. _Thank you shoulder and chest wounds for making it difficult to lift one's arms_, Anya thought sarcastically. Slipping on her Converse she headed out of the room. Surprisingly, there were no guards around. She was amused and irritated by everyone's reaction to her. Anyone she passed quickly stepped out of her way. Her guess was that it had to do with the ring on her finger and her necklace; she had not bothered to take it off last night and had left it on today not wanting to upset Loki if he saw her without it. Walking slowly, she eventually made her way to medical on the 19th floor. In medical, as soon as she opened the door, the doctor quickly came up and offered her assistance.

"Ms. Marvel, my apologies, I was planning on coming to see you later in the day. Please follow me to an examination room and we will get you taken care of," the doctor sincerely informed her. His manner had changed quite a bit from yesterday when he had briskly and uncaringly treated her wounds. Of course that was before she had become Loki's fiancée. Nodding, she followed the apologetic man to an empty room. A nurse shortly followed with a large tray of bandages and various supplies. Anya let out a quiet sigh realizing she would probably be there all day.

It turned out she was wrong, it didn't take all day, although she was there for several hours. After a few x-rays, a number of stitches, a lot of bandages, and one bag of saline for hydration, she was finally free to go. The worst of it all were the knife wounds, burns on her arm and bruised ribs. Anya felt like she was dressing up as a mummy for Halloween with all the bandages on her. The best part of the trip was the doctor prescribing her pain medicine.

Wounds treated and medicine prescribed her next step was clear in her mind - food. Once she got back to the kitchen on the top floor, she had trouble deciding what to eat. Her jaw, she figured, would make it hard for her to chew food. She also wanted something healthy but quick. In the end, she decided on chicken noodle soup. She hadn't bought any cans of it when she had ordered groceries, but there were chicken broth and noodles in the cabinet, boneless chicken in the freezer and vegetables in the fridge.

When the soup was done, Anya turned the burner on low and went in search of Loki. Not finding him on that level, she went into her room and pulled out her comm piece from her ruined dress pants pockets. She had forgotten about it until then. It surprised her that it hadn't been damaged accidentally over the past few days. Security informed her, cordially she noticed, that he was on the roof.

Shaking from the cold, Anya paused in the doorway staring at her demigod fiancé. It honestly didn't bother her to call him her fiancé because she doubted that they would ever make it to the altar. Either the Avengers would stop him or he would stop them and then kill her. At this point, she was beginning to think the latter was more likely.

Though, if they did marry, she had no idea what to expect; it wasn't like there were _Asgardian Marriage for Dummies_ or _Dating Demigods_ books. Nor could she call up Jane Foster and ask what it was like to have a relationship with one. Her thoughts were abruptly ended by his voice, "Do you plan on studying me all day?" he asked sharply still staring at the skyline.

"I made lunch, if you want some."

Loki gave what sounded like a low chuckle before walking towards her. With a smirk he replied, "Is this your attempt at keeping your promise to be a good wife?"

She was tempted to say that being able to cook doesn't make a wife good and that that was an old fashioned sexist comment, but instead she answered straight-faced, "It's as good a place as any to start." With that comment she turned around and headed towards the elevator. After a few moments Loki joined her.

_Well this is awkward_, Anya thought to herself as they both ate lunch. Not wanting to carry the food anywhere, Anya handed Loki a bowl of food before serving herself and sitting at the kitchen island. She liked to sit there not just because of the convenience but also because of the high table top seats. It was fun to swing her legs from the chair. _Joy in small things_, she reminded herself. Of course she couldn't enjoy even that at the moment because of the stab wound in her thigh. Loki, to her displeasure, joined her at the table.

Too tired and raw from everything, she didn't even try to make table conversation. She wondered if this was what the rest of her life would be like. She was going to turn into one of those reality tv housewives. That thought made Anya cringe. After finishing her soup, curiosity got the best of her.

"What other countries have sworn allegiance?"

He paused in his eating, "Why should I tell you?'

He was like a toddler at times, "I am still your assistant, and it would be practical for me to know."

Loki pushed his bowl away from him and said nothing. Sighing Anya rose, gathered the dishes and put them in the dishwasher. When she finished she turned to find him staring at her.

"What makes you think I would trust you, with that or any information of importance? You have made it clear to whom your loyalties lie."

Annoyance overwhelmed her, "They are with you! I choose you! Yes, I did it to protect those I care about. Wouldn't you? Don't you have someone you would do anything for? Keep your bargain and I will keep mine. You won, Loki of Asgard, King of America. You have my loyalty. What more do you want?"

His eyes hardened at her "speech," too late she realized her mistake. Then out of the corner of her eye she saw green light emitting from her arm band, which was quickly followed by electric shocks. The "punishment" was short lived, and she was able to remain standing. _A small piece of dignity_, Anya thought to herself.

"Remember to whom you speak," was all he said before getting up and walking away.

As soon as he was gone Anya kicked the chair next to her in anger. _Just perfect_, she thought to herself. If he wins the last of her probably short life would have to be spent appeasing a temperamental man. "Never figured myself for being in an abusive relationship," Anya muttered to herself, "but I guess who does?" Deciding not to think about it, but feeling the weight of her reality she decided that now would be a perfect time for a nap. At least in her dreams she would be free.

*****STSP – LF*****

Loki was a naturally suspicious person. It tended to come with being the god of lies and mischief. That and years of experience. Naturally then, when his fiancée came offering food, he was suspicious. He waited for her to eat first, in case it was poisoned, although she didn't seem the type of woman who would do that. When the food proved not to be poisoned, he contemplated what it was that she wanted.

The instant she asked about the expansion of his empire, he knew what this ruse was about. She was trying to gain intelligence for his enemies. She gave a pathetic speech about his winning and her being loyal, but Loki didn't believe it, and anyway, time would reveal where her loyalties lay. For right then, however, it was more important that she remembered to watch her mouth. _She will not fool me,_ was his thought as he walked away from the kitchen and his fiancée.

***** Evening in Anya's old apartment – Coulson F*****

It was almost time. Stark had used Jarvis to find out when guards changed shifts and when the least number of guards were on duty. The team was crammed into the living room silently eating microwavable macaroni and cheese, which Dr. Banner and Barton had bought yesterday, off of paper plates with plastic forks. Phil couldn't remember the last time he had eaten with a plastic fork. He should have known not to trust Barton to get nutritious food. _Barton could have at least bought the Kraft mac and cheese_, Phil thought as he ate his portion in silence.

When everyone was finished eating, or rather when the food was all gone, they went over the plan one more time. He called their names in order of action to hear them repeat their roles.

"Romanoff"

"I will use the escape shaft in the basement to sneak into the building. From there I will make my way upward, quietly disabling guards, and working my way to the security room."

Phil nodded in confirmation, "Captain"

"I will enter the building with Agent Romanoff and go to security with her; however, from there I will verify Anya's location and go to protect her."

Phil heard Stark mutter, "You better," but he chose to ignore it.

"Barton"

"After getting a lift from Stark, I will climb into the air vent on the twenty first floor. From there I will wait for Thor's word before moving in with the Transmitter Blocker"

"Thor"

"I will wait for news from Lady Spider before flying to the top of the Man of Iron's home. I will then enter through the roof and find Loki. When I find him, I will call for my friends to join me."

"Stark"

"After dropping off Legolas, I will drop back down to same floor as security and go in through a window to help Red and Capsicle. Then I will join Pointbreak in beating up his evil brother."

Phil resisted the urge to roll his eyes at Stark's vocabulary. "Good and I will be in our van outside the Tower to provide operational support."

"Dr. Banner"

"I am the backup and will wait with you Agent Coulson."

Phil nodded and looked around at his team before speaking, "Good, then we know the plan. Try not to kill as many people as possible. We don't know how many of the people in there are actually free agents. "

"Yes, let's go stop Reindeer Games," Stark added, "but afterward we are eating shawarma."

Phil merely smiled at the aggravating man, "Pack up, we head out in ten."

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**A/N: **And so it begins. Who is ready for the show down?

So in the story Anya mentions how happy she is to recieve pain medicine. That made me think about how pain medicine is often a cause for prescription drug abuse. So, for information on how to treat addiction to subscription drug additions, if you live in the US, go to the Nation Institute on Drug Abuse.


	42. Chapter 41:So It Ends Pt 1

**A/N: I only own my OCs and plot. Thank you for following, favoriting, and reviews(fairyfinder and guest). Just as I wrote the Battle of New York, this Last Battle will be written from various perspectives going back and forward in time. So pay attention to the character focus and the time reference.**

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**Chapter 41: So it Ends – Part 1 of Final Battle**

*****DSB: 10 – Outside Stark Tower at 10:45 pm– Coulson F ****

Parked in a side ally, a block away from Stark Tower, sat Phil and Dr. Banner, both anxiously waiting for the clock to read 10:46pm.

The moment it changed, Phil began the mission by activating the comms, "Avengers, report your positions." Every Avenger had a comm piece that they borrowed from the SHIELD base in Penn; they had also helped themselves to a few guns, arrows for Barton, and a computer. Phil couldn't help but hope that Agent Koenig would not befall too strict of discipline for the missing goods.

"Black Widow reporting in. I'm in the shoot with Captain, over."

"Hawkeye reporting in. I'm in position over the guest rooms, over."

"Being the amazing person I am, I'm outside of security ready to break in to my own home."

Phil wanted to strangle that man sometimes, "Focus Iron Man. Thor, report on your position."

"I am on the roof, Son of Coul."

"Copy that. Remember stick to the plan, over."

"Jarvis shows Anya in her room and Loki in his," Dr. Banner informed the team, using the laptop which Tony had connected to the Tower's security feed. "Widow and Cap, there are no guards outside your area. Hawkeye, there are around twenty guards asleep in the guest rooms below you. Iron Man, there are three guards outside of security. Thor, there are none around you."

Taking the location of the guards and his team into consideration, Phil gave the order for his team to move forward with the plan. Romanoff and Captain entered the tower first. Watching through the laptop with Dr. Banner, they saw them move quickly through the basement and into the stairwell. Fifteen minutes later they were up at the fourteenth floor.

"Command, something isn't right, over," Captain reported over the comms.

"Report," Phil replied.

"It's too quiet, we've yet to run into any – " Before Cap could finish that sentence, Phil could hear bellowing and the cocking of guns across the comms.

"Stark, Thor get in there," Phil quickly ordered over the comms. "Barton, stay in position."

Almost glaring at Dr. Banner he asked the obvious question, "What is going on? How did you not see them coming?

"They must have been aware of our hack and counteracted with fake footage." Typing furiously fast, Dr. Banner stared intently on the screen. "Now that we know it is a fake.. give me one minute… there." The screen changed to show their reality. Everyone had guards upon their location. Worse, Loki and Anya were in the same room. They couldn't guarantee her safety now.

"This is bad," Dr. Banner echoed Phil's thoughts.

"Should I – " Barton started to ask over the comms before being interrupted by Loki's voice, which was clearly projected throughout the tower.

"I know you are here," Loki began and continued to state the position of each member of his team. Phil knew they needed to move. He was about to start the car when it was suddenly surrounded by around a dozen armed guards.

Refusing to go without a fight, Phil was about to turn on the car and run over the men when he heard Loki's next words, "Do not even think of fighting because I have someone you all care about right in front of me, and I will not hesitate to harm her. Isn't that right dear?" That statement was followed by a cry of pain which successfully caused Phil to give up.

Loki had his sister and would kill her if he tried anything. Dr. Banner slowly nodded his head to Phil, showing he agreed, before raising his hands in surrender. Phil did the same. They both allowed the armed men to open the car doors and pull them into the Tower. _Well, that didn't go according to plan. _Phil couldn't help but think with a sigh.

***** A few moments before in the tower (11:05pm) – NF *****

"Something is wrong," Natasha whispered to Rogers, who was in full Captain Gear besides her. They had entered the building around fifteen minutes ago and had yet to come across anyone. "Either Loki is stupid or we're walking into a trap."

"Maybe Dr. Banner can give us a hand," Captain told her before tapping on his comm to activate the speaking instrument, "Command, something isn't right, over."

Coulson's voice answered back, "Report"

"It's too quiet, we have yet to run into any – " _Of course_, Natasha thought sarcastically, _the moment Roger says guards all of them appear_. Within seconds they were surrounded by guards above and below them. What startled Natasha was the fact they were not shooting, just waiting.

Natasha heard Coulson give the order for the others to move in, but wondered what good it would do. Glancing at Rogers she gave him a slight nod, signaling her readiness to fight, but before she ever threw a fist Loki's voice was projected over the speakers, echoing in the stairwell. _Well, that explained their waiting_, Natasha realized listening to Loki's speech.

Natasha internally cringed upon hearing Anya's cry of pain; anger filling her. Oh, he was going to pay. She was about to start fighting when she saw Rogers slowly set his shield down in front of him and raise his hands in defeat. Knowing she couldn't defeat the guards without risking Rogers' safety she followed suit. Natasha understood why he did it. He wanted to help his friend, but it still pissed her off to give up without a fight.

***** ATST upstairs- TF ******

_Look at me being a team player. I wonder what Pepper would think, _Tony wondered to himself as he entered the building, through a window which he may or may not have opened with the laser on his suit. In all he was following the plan. He was on his way to security when he was suddenly surrounded. Before he opened fire he heard Loki's announcement. _The bastard is going to die_. With vengeance and protecting his sister on his mind, he allowed the guards to lead him up to the penthouse where Loki was at.

Tony was never much of an emotions guy. If he was being honest he would say that he blatantly ignored them in favor of more pleasant distractions. That started to change a little with Pepper. It changed even more with Anya. Now seeing his sister like that...seeing in person the harm inflicted upon her…seeing that bastard's hand on her throat…to say he wasn't overwhelmed was like saying he wasn't proud of his Iron Man suits.

What hurt the most, however, was seeing her duck her head down as if ashamed and her body language project the feeling of defeat. As he stood next to Thor, feeling almost naked without his suit protecting him, she continued to look at the ground. She wouldn't look at him and it broke his heart.

*****Few minutes earlier– SF*****

Steve knew Romanoff was furious at him for giving into Loki's demands, but how could he fight knowing it would harm his first friend…his closest friend since Bucky…the girl he was falling for. He just couldn't. So he laid down his Shield, allowed one of the guards to pick it up, and he followed the armed men up the stairs to the top floor. Within a few minutes they entered a large room on the top floor. Out of the corner of his eyes, Steve saw Thor, Stark – outside of his suit – and Barton lined up to the side with armed men behind them.

Steve's focus, however, was not on his teammates, but what was directly in front of him. Loki stood in the center of the room with Anya sitting on a stool in front of him. Loki held her throat with one hand and his other was gripping her shoulder. Tears were in her eyes which were fixed upon the ground. Steve's heart seized in pain at the sight. She was bruised and bandaged, dressed in a night gown that made her look fragile to him. He could not see his friend, the Anya he knew, in her face.

When Loki ordered him to remove his hood and drop his weapons by the door before entering, he did as he was told. He noted that the guard who carried his Shield up had placed it in the pile as well. Romanoff did likewise. Then they stood in line with the others waiting, he imagined, for Agent Coulson and Doctor Banner.

***** STSP – BF*****

_I will stay calm_, Bruce repeated to himself as he allowed the armed guards to escort Agent Coulson and himself from the van to the top floor of Stark Tower. It wasn't like this was the first time he was under gun point. _I can handle this_. That thought quickly left at the sight of what greeted him upon entering penthouse. As if the sight of his teammates at gun point was not enough for him to lose control; to see the girl, whose parents he had promised he would protect, with a hand around her throat almost did it. He was enraged at the situation, but the knowledge that she and his team needed him to control himself stopped The Other Guy from emerging. It was the only thing that stopped him, especially with everything that followed._ I wish I was back in Calcutta,_ was his current thought.

***** A little while earlier (10:58 Pm ) in the Tower- LF *****

_Things,_ Loki decided, _were not going by plan_. He had expected to come down to this miserable planet of wretched pathetic creatures and, after a show of force, they would fall down and worship him. The humans proved to be more difficult than he originally thought. Not too difficult for him, of course. Still, he was adaptable. He was patient…to a point.

Currently, Loki was in his chambers staring at a world map he had pulled up on a computer screen. He was considering in what order to take which countries. He knew it was late and he should probably rest some, but then again he could rest when this was over. In the middle of a thought, the irritating beep of his comm device went off.

"What is it?" he harshly asked.

"Sir, we are being invaded," a nervous male voice answered. That got Loki's attention.

"Who and what are their positions?" Loki listened to the nervous human explained it was the Avengers and their individual positions. He knew they would move against him. He just didn't expect this soon. He wondered how they expected to stop him. With a call he could have this counties military surrounding the Tower within an hour. There had to be a reason they came this quickly….that was when it struck Loki – _they are here for her_.

"Have the tech department take over their camera feed to give our men cover. Then order the guards, in teams of ten, to surround and follow all of the Avengers at a distant, ready to move in on my command. Report back to me when the woman and soldier make it past the business level of the tower."

"Yes, sir."

"One more thing, what is Anya's location?" She had to know something, Loki decided. She must have betrayed him. With burning he anger he set out to find her.

* * *

A\N sorry its so short and for any errors. I had no beta for this. Please follow, favorite, and revirew!Ill try to update soon!


	43. Chapter 42: Part 2 of Final Battle

A/N: so sorry it has been a bit. i tried to update last week but the website wouldn't let me. anyway, as always I only own my OCs and Plot. Thank you to everyone who is following and favoriting. Special thanks to fairyfinder and teslasrevenge for reviewing. Anyway prepare yourselves and enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 42: Part 2 of Final Battle**

**Recap: It has been ten days since battle of NYC. The Avengers' attempt to invade the Tower, to stop Loki, failed because of his security. The chapter ended with Loki's suspension of Anya, and his hunt to find her. Trigger Warning: psychological and physical torture.**

***** AF *****

Anya sighed heavily as she watched the clock turn to 11:01pm. Her afternoon nap, after a trying lunch, had turned into all day siesta. _Now, what to do? _The rumbling of her stomach quickly answered that question for her.

After using the restroom, she debated on changing before sealing out dinner. Before she had laid down for her nap, she had changed into her only night gown; she was more an oversized t-shirt girl. The gown, which hugged her chest but fell loosely after, was a dark blue color and cotton material that fell a few inches past her knees. With three quarter sleeves it had a low back and a V neck which showed some cleavage, but not an overly generous amount; at the moment though it only showed her blood stained bandage.

Considering the fact it had a built-in-bra, and she was unlikely to see anyone, Anya decided to risk wearing it. _Way too lazy to change, _was her final thought heading out the door barefoot; she made a mental note to buy slippers soon. _If I lived that long_, she thought bitterly to herself.

Quietly moving down the hall into the kitchen, Anya was relieved to find no one there. Having quickly decided on eating Dragon Fruit, she had just preparing her meal when Loki came storming into the room. The rage that filled his face was directed completely at her. Knowing any chance of escape was useless, her only thought was _why didn't I stay in bed?_

"Dragon Fruit?" she offered as he came closer. She didn't mean to say that, but her nerves took control of her mouth before her brain could. His path was unchanged. "Loki," she held up her hands as if to project her sincerity and in defense, "I don't know why you are upset. If it is about earlier I am sorry." She barely had the words out before he was suddenly by her side. In snake like quickness, his hand reached out, grabbed her head and slammed it down onto the end of the kitchen island that was in front of her.

Black spots dance across her vision and pain fill her head. Loki kept one hand on the back of her head, forcing her to keep it pressed against the table, while his other hand had somehow caught her right arm and forced it behind her back. In her position she was only able to turn her head slightly to the right.

With his head hovering a few inches from hers, he demanded in a harsh voice "What do you know?"

"What are you talking about?" her own voice turned hard in defense and anger. Loki pressed her head harder against the table causing her to cry out softly in pain.

"Your friends are in the Tower as we speak."

Fear and joy simultaneously filled her at his words. "I know nothing of it."

His hand on her head gripped her hair and yanked her head back until she was standing up with her back pressed against his chest. Her scalp burned and her arm was beginning to pulse from his hold. "I swear!"

"I knew your loyalties would reveal themselves in time, but I admit this is sooner than I suspected," He venomously whispered in her ear.

"Loki, you are the god of lies. Look me in the eye and tell me if I am lying." Anya demanded keeping a strong and level voice despite the pain. Apparently he decided to take her suggestion as he let go of her hair and then rotated his grip on her arm as to turn her to face him. Arm still behind her back, she looked up into his glaring eyes which were only inches from hers. "I know nothing about what is going on. I told you everything I knew about their plans yesterday."

His eyes held hers for what seemed like an eternity. "Well, we will confirm your story after the others when they arrive." With that he abruptly let go of her, almost causing her to fall. The relief from his grip caused her eyes to water. The pain of course continued as her head was still throbbing and all her wounds were now irritated.

Taking a stool from the kitchen island and set it in the middle of the room, he ordered her to sit facing the door. Moving slowly she did as she was told. Anya suddenly felt overly exposed sitting in the middle of the room, especially with Loki standing right behind her. She felt suspicious about the stool until she decided it was probably a tactic to stop her from running quickly away.

A small beep, which Anya recognized as a comm device, went off a moment after she sat down. "Report," Loki ordered. Anya could not hear the other speaker, but her anxiety doubled as she heard what he said next, "You pathetic weaklings. Put my voice on the speaker system."

A loud beep fill the room, which was soon followed by Loki's voice, "I know you are here. I know you are at the end of the hallway on the 24th floor, Thor Odinson – " Both hope and dread began to fill Anya; hope that Thor was so close, but dread that Loki knew. The dread increasing as he continued to speak, " – just as I know that Agent Romanoff and Captain Rogers are in the stairwell. Agent Barton is in the air duck on the 21st floor, and Iron Man is outside security on the 19th floor. I have guards surrounding your positions as we speak, including Agent Coulson and Dr. Banner's van that is located outside of this Tower." Anxiety was now her companion. She had hoped the Avengers would be able to stop Loki, but now that hope was diminishing before her eyes. They would be captured and she was probably going to die.

Loki continued, "Do not even think of fighting because it would be a shame to harm the person you care for. Isn't that right, my dear?" Right as he said that, Loki's hand reached out and squeezed her left shoulder; his fingers digging into her knife wound, causing her to let out a shout of pain. Her cry echoed over the speakers. Tears filled her eyes, not just because of the physical pain. No, it was the pain in knowing she was going to be the Avengers' undoing. The very thing she tried so hard not to be this whole time. And that hurt worse than anything she had felt thus far.

Another loud beep sounded, making Anya assume the speaker system had been turned off. Still Loki kept his left hand on her shoulder. Within a minute Thor came through the open door. Dressed in red cap and armor, his hammer in his hand, Anya was a bit in awe of his appearance. He definitely looked more like a god in that moment than when she met him in the gym a few weeks ago wearing Steve's clothes.

"Brother, Lady Anya" Thor calmly greeted as he slowly walking into the room. A few guards right behind him with guns trained on him. Anya couldn't help but admire and question his manner. He walked and spoke as if meeting up with friends for lunch rather than a hostage situation involving armed guards.

"I am not your brother," Loki hissed at him. "Halt," Loki ordered when Thor was only a few feet in the room. "Put Mjolnir down." Anya could see Thor tighten his hold on his weapon, unwilling to be so easily disarmed. Loki's grip on her shoulder tightened causing her to gasp slightly. The noise was all Thor needed to do was he was told. Anya looked down at her shoulder to see it bleeding again, as was her chest wounds. No doubt her appearance helped Loki obtain compliance. A very very small vain part of her couldn't help but wonder why she had to meet up with everyone looking like shit. At least she had met everyone but Dr. Banner. _First impressions are key after all _she thought to herself; after which she wondered if that thought meant she had lost it.

"Good, now come in a bit further. We must make room for the others," Loki spoke and Thor obeyed. The guards followed, standing behind Thor with guns pointed at his head. Anya hoped he was bullet proof.

"Lady Anya, are you alright?" Anya couldn't help but mentally think _that was a dumb question, but obviously well meaning. _She gave him a small smile and was about to speak when she felt Loki's other hand grip her throat.

"Do not speak unless I tell you to," his grip slightly tightened, "Am I clear?" letting out a slight cough Anya only nodded.

"Stop this brother. What do you gain from harming her?"

Anya could only imagine Loki's facial expression had to be one of disbelief, "Has time on this dismal planet so dulled your wit Ordison? Is it not obvious what I gain?" Thor's face darkened, and Anya felt herself growing colder. "Besides, what does it matter to you? She is only a human."

"We are not above them Loki."

"We are _gods,_" he indignantly replied.

Movement caught Anya's attention. Tony had arrived in his Iron Man suit. Part of her was just waiting for him to blast Loki in the face. Surly he had targeting missiles, but then again, she doubted he would risk it with her. It also looked like his suit had seen some mileage.

Before Tony entered the doorway Loki called out to him, "Out of the suit, Tony Stark." Tony didn't move. Loki gripped Anya's throat cutting off her oxygen. Her hands instantly shot up to pull them off, but to no avail. Within a second Tony's suit opened up and he stepped out of it, "Stop! I'm out of the suit. Just stop hurting her." Tony begged. His suit condensed to a smaller size behind him. A guard moved it next to Thor's hammer.

Loki's grip loosened as soon as the suit was out of the way. Air, glorious air, filled Anya's lungs. It took a little bit for her to stop coughing and regain control of her breathing. As she struggled to do so, she simply stared at the floor with tears in her eyes. She was too ashamed to look at her brother.

She had done this. Her brother begged for her. Begged. She tried not to cry, but a few tears still fell down her face. Her tears probably helped Loki as Agent Barton came in. As with Thor and Tony before him, Loki ordered his weapons dropped. With each person more guards came. Anya stared down at her hands as each Avenger came in and was disarmed. No one hesitated in obeying Loki as his hand was around her throat. She was their undoing.

"Anya," her brother's warm voice gently called her name. Looking up she saw Phil standing closest to the door, next to the other Avengers. They were all lined up, weaponless, on her right; their backs to the window wall and at least a dozen armed guards behind them with their weapons pointed at their heads. However, the only person she could focus on was Phil. His eyes filled will love and concern, Anya didn't even try to stop from crying. To see him, to see all of them, in person after everything they had been through. For them to be so close but so far. It was too much. _So much for staying strong_, she sarcastically thought to herself, berating herself for crying.

"I am sor– " she started to apologize to her brother, to her friends, but was cut off by Loki tightening his grip on her throat causing her to choke once again.

" – I told you not to speak unless I commanded you," he chided her before throwing her to the ground. The fall itself was not overly painful compared to the past few days. It helped that she was able to bring her arms up in time to protect herself some. Still she laid there for a few seconds gasping for air.

"Worthless woman, get up" he directed her. Ignoring the pain, she tried to quickly do as he said. Once standing, she turned so she was facing him, but she kept her eyes on the ground.

"Apologize," he commanded.

Raising her head, she looked at his face only to see him glancing at the Avengers. It was obvious to her - he was using her to hurt the Avengers, as he planned from the beginning. The only way, however, she could think to save them was by doing as he asked.

Meeting his glaze, she did as she was told. "I am sorry," the words burned in her throat, shame filling her.

"Don't apologize to him!" Tony yelled out. Anya didn't turn her head, but she couldn't help but cringe at his words. Loki stared at her in consideration before turning towards the others.

"Oh, but she must apologize Tony Stark. That is if she wishes to retain our deal." Loki replied to her brother mockingly, who simply stared back at him livid. "Why don't you explain to him what you promised?" Loki suggested, or rather commanded, to Anya.

Unable to look at them, Anya looked at the ground and started, "I promised – " she began but was cut off by Loki.

" – Look them in the face."

Cringing, she did as she was told. _Speak like reporting a business deal_, Anya told herself. Of course, that only worked well in theory. She began again, "I promised Loki that I would … that I would be what he needed me to be; that I would be the obedient s-slave, attentive assistant, and good w-wife…. In exchange – "

Loki cut her off and continued, " – I would spare you." He told the Avenger. "So don't you see, she has to apologize otherwise she is not fulfilling her bargain. A bargain she agreed to it. In fact, she was the one who asked me. Is that not true?"

"It is, my king," her voice sounded dead to her own ears. Fitting as it was how she was starting to feel.

"I did promised not to kill or harm you," Loki informed the Avengers, "leaving one clear option." With a slight wave of his right hand his scepter appeared. "You will serve my kingdom and me."

"NO!" Anya shouted in both surprise and desperation. She couldn't let him brainwash them. Not just for their sakes but for the world. Nothing would stand in his way then.

"What did you say?" Loki asked turning towards Anya. The steel in his voice and glare in his eyes caused Anya's body to start to shake slightly in fear. He advanced the few steps towards her. "Is your mind so feeble that you so quickly forget who is in control?" His voice was low and words came out calmly but vibrated with power and malice.

"You are mine, and you will obey me." A small flash of green light appeared, after which the bandage on her left arm disappeared. Her body was frozen. "If you forget, look at that," he said grabbing the injured arm and yanking it close to her face. She cringed upon seeing the word burned into her arm. Flinging it aside after a moment, almost in disgust he backed up a few places.

"Now just to make sure you understand. You speak when I say to and do what I tell you to do. Am I clear?"

"Yes"

"Yes Master, is the proper response."

After a brief pause she repeated as directed looking at the ground, "Yes, Master."

"Good, now tell them what you are." Anya knew what he wanted her to say. She also knew why. He was humiliating her to break both them and her. She couldn't meet their eyes nor could she say it. It was too much. She looked up at him, silently begging him to change his mind. With a glare, he raised his hand. The moment she saw the motion her body recoiled. As if that would help any. The band on her right arm glowed green before the pain started.

Anya had a small hope that she would be able to grow accustom to the pain in time. That didn't happen, rather it was the opposite. She tried to hold it together, knowing the others were there, but soon all of that faded away. All that was there was the pain.

Then amidst the pain she heard what sounded like the roar was a monster before darkness took her.

* * *

A/N: I know I'm evil. Also I'm sorry to say it may be a bit till i can update. I'm going to a rural area for work and may not have internet. so worst case senario it will be 5 weeks. I promise I will try to make it sooner. Please follow/review/ favorite!


	44. Chapter 43 part 3 of final battle

**Chapter 42: Part 3 of Final Battle**

**Recap: The Avengers are being held at gunpoint in the top floor of the Tower. Anya is being tortured by Loki in front of them. The battle began around 11pm on the 10****th**** day since Battle of New York. **

*****SF*****

There would be no compassion or mercy for Loki from Steve. He was beyond enraged. For his friend to have to obey that monster and to apologize to him – it was too much. It was time to act. Using Loki's distraction with Anya, after she yelled for Loki to not use his scepter on them, Steve began to silently direct his team. First making eye contact with Romanoff, he motioned his eyes back towards the guards, thus directing her to deal with them. She double blinked in confirmation before making eye contact with Agent Barton, passing on Steve's directions. Barton then passed it along to Thor. Steve tried to make eye contact with Stark, but understandably his focus was only on his sister. Glancing over at Agent Coulson, he found him the same.

Before Steve could even glance at Dr. Banner, he saw Loki wave his hand and a flash of green briefly appear. The bandage covering Anya's arm had disappeared. Steve knew what was under the bandage. He knew about the burns and what they spelled out. They had even seen the footage, but seeing it on film and in person were two different things.

What would haunt him forever, Steve decided, weren't the burns on her arms nor her physical state. What would haunt him would be the look of her eyes – defeat. Well that and the echo of her screams. Just moments after she began screaming a new sound filled the room – the Hulk's roar. As soon as he heard it, Steve sprang into action. What he wanted to do was run towards Anya, to protect her, but he knew Agent Coulson and Stark would have that covered. No, he needed to head the opposite direction.

***** Seconds earlier – NF*****

_Loki is going to die. _Natasha had decided that when the bastard took Clint, but now her want for his blood was reinforced tenfold bib watching her friend suffer. It took all her strength not to run and punch the man when he threw Anya to the ground.

The moment Loki was distracted, which occurred thanks to Anya, Natasha looked over at Cap to see if he had a plan; she realized Coulson's focus was elsewhere at the moment. Despite communicating through eye contact, Roger's plan was clear; she would deal with the guards. Nat imagined Coulson or Tony would get Anya to safety while the Hulk and Rogers would attack Loki. She acknowledged her role by double blinking before communicating the plan to Clint and Thor.

A moment after Anya screamed the Hulk roared. Chaos broke lose. Shots were fired, but none of that mattered to her. No, she had a mission to focus on. Nat turned quickly, running low, and threw herself at the guards. She disabled the first guard with a kick to the groan – no time to play nice, not that she ever did. Ducking, she avoided being hitting in the head with a gun. By bringing her arms up, she blocked another attack. Using her legs to attack and arms for defense, she made fast work of a few guards. In the chaos she was aware of Clint fighting similarly beside her.

One moment she ducked to avoid a round house kick to her face and the next she was startled to find there were no more guards to confront. Slightly confused, she looked over to see Thor's hammer returning to his outstretched hand; _well that explains it_. She was then slightly surprised and partially satisfied to see what happened next; only partial because she hadn't repaid Loki personally yet. Yet being the key word.

*****Few seconds before – BF*****

Upon reflection, Bruce decided he should be commended for how long he held back the Other Guy. Of course, ever since he let the Other Guy out willingly in the battle of New York they had come to a better …truce… symbiotic relationship of sorts. Still, he held the Other Guy back despite being surrounded by armed guards, taken captive, and seeing Anya with Loki's hand around her throat. He lost it, however, when he heard her screams.

The Hulk roared in anger. He had only two thoughts – stop the man with the stick and protect the girl on the ground.

*****Few seconds before- TF*****

_The motherfucker was going to die_. Tony had decided that shortly after entering the room and seeing his sister. Now, hearing her scream in pain, he changed his mind. The bastard was going to live, but only long enough for Tony to slowly torture him to death.

While he was watching his sister collapse on the floor, screaming out in pain, he heard the Hulk's roar. He had never felt so… grateful. The moment he saw the big guy charge he did the same. Tony ran for his sister, determined to protect her, with or without his suit. Shots were fired. He felt pain blossom in his shoulder, but ignored it. His eyes were only on Anya. He was at her side in seconds, as was Coulson.

Nodding to each other, they began pulling their unconscious sister towards the doorway that was behind them. They had pulled her back just a few feet before watching the Hulk fall where she had been. _Talk about timing_, Tony thought to himself. The Hulk roared again, whether in pain or anger he didn't know. Glancing to the side, he saw that the assassins and Thor had taken care of the guards. They looked ready to intervene, but didn't. Not that Tony blamed them. There was no need for their help. The big guy had it covered.

***** A few seconds before – AF *****

Anya's first thought upon regaining consciousness was, _did I really just pass out_? She recalled the pain…and the roar of ….something. Then there was darkness. She realized she had passed out because of pain and woke because of it. Her body was being pulled backwards, dragged on the ground. She was about to struggle when she realized it was her brothers who held onto her.

The little calm she had at seeing them quickly faded when she heard a blast and saw the green giant, whom she recognized as the Hulk, fall down inches in front of her. The beast roared at Loki, who stood almost posed with his scepter pointed at them.

"Enough," Loki yelled, "You are beneath me. I am a god you dull creature. And I will not be bullied by – "

He never finished his tirade because the Hulk, moving at incredible speed, reached out and grabbed Loki by his legs. Then instantly began slamming him down on the ground - several times - like a rag doll. What happened next, however, was priceless.

Smirking at his work the Hulk simply muttered two words, "Puny god," before turning towards her. Anya started laughing. It was too perfect of an ending. The Hulk took a few steps towards her, causing her to go silent.

"Hey big guy – " Tony started nervously. Anya almost rolled her eyes. She knew he wouldn't hurt them. Anya reached up and back, placing her left hand a top Tony's, which as resting on her right shoulder, effectively silencing him. Keeping her gaze at the Hulk, who was towering over her right side, she stretched out her other arm towards him.

"Thank you," she said as he gently took her pale hand into his giant green one. _In a way, it was the perfect movie moment_, she thought to herself. _The beast defeating the monster and gently protecting the maiden._ She then began to mentally berate herself,_ I need to stop watching so many Joss Weadon films and reading so much_.

***** SPST – Coulson F *****

The moment Loki was smashed into the ground, Phil couldn't help but become a big fan of the Hulk. Not that the Hulk could ever take the place of the Captain. That thought made Phil realize something, _where the hell is Rogers?_ Although that question had to wait till later because even though Loki was whining like a deflated balloon in a small crater it wasn't over yet.

"Barton," Phil called out, moving his eyes from the Hulk, who was sitting next to him, to the archer a few feet away. Barton snapped to attention. After looking at Coulson for a second, he began moving towards Loki, or rather towards Loki's scepter, which was a few feet away from him.

Barton reached into one of his front pockets and pulled out the small cube. A small part of Coulson was amazing Barton still had the cube and that it wasn't broken after all that had happened. Bending down Barton cautiously picked up the scepter before placing the cube, or rather the transmitter blocker, on the scepter's blade. Phil couldn't help but wonder what was going to happen. Barton let go of the cube quickly, swearing and shaking his hand as if it burned him.

"Damn it Stark, you didn't say anything about it getting hot," Barton yelled at Stark.

The man just smirked. "I did say it would react and bond." Barton simply glared at the man.

"Did it work?" Romanoff asked the obvious question.

"Call SHIELD and find out," was Phil's reply. SHIELD had to be monitoring the situation, particularly the President. If it worked, they would know and act. Of course, his team would still have to deal with the rest of the mercenaries in the tower. _Mercenaries…_Phil thought…. _Loki had ordered some to wait outside, but none had rushed in to help yet_. Turning his head towards the door, Phil couldn't help but notice the absence of a certain shield among the pile of weapons.

"Romanoff, Barton, go help the Captain finish securing the Tower. Then go to security and contact SHIELD," he ordered. Both nodded and went to obey. Barton sat down the scepter by Phil on his way out the door. Both agents, of course, paused to pick up their own weapons.

"So that's where Capscicle went, and here I thought he had just run away," Stark muttered. Phil was about to defend his hero, but was beaten to it.

"Tony, don't be mean." Anya wearily told him. Phil couldn't help but smile at that.

"Thor," Phil turned his attention away, "will you guard Loki?"

"On my honor," he solemnly responded before standing over his brother.

"Hulk," Phil looked at the green giant sitting beside him gazing down at his sister "Thank you for your help, but we need Dr. Banner's help now. Will you please let him come back?" The Hulk seemed to smirk before nodding. Then before Coulson's eye was back, grasping at the remains of his pants.

"Stark, help me move Anya – " Phil started but was abruptly cut off by Stark falling over.

"Tony!" Anya cried.

***BF***

As always, Bruce felt slightly disoriented upon changing back from the Hulk. He snapped out of it quickly, however, upon hearing Anya yell her brother's name and seeing his friend fall over with blood seeping out of his shoulder. Still clutching the remains of his pants, Bruce moved quickly around Anya to Stark's side. The man was bleeding profusely and seemed to have passed out from blood loss. "He needs medical attention."

"Can you treat him?" Agent Coulson urgently asked.

"Yes, with the right tools."

"There is a medical wing on the 19th floor," Anya informed them.

Bruce nodded before looking at Agent Coulson, "Help me move him." The agent seemed to hesitate a second, looking at his sister.

"GO, help him," Anya ordered. Agent Coulson nodded before moving around her side to Stark. Creating a swing out of their hands, they carried the man towards the elevator. Bruce mentally rejoiced when his pants stayed up after letting go of them; he needed both hands to carry Stark. He made a mental note to research fabric that would stay on when he let the Other Guy come out.

"Jarvis get the elevator and take them to medical," Anya spoke loudly, startling Bruce for a moment before he remembered about the AI.

"Yes, Ms. Marvel" the AI answered

"Thank you Jarvis," Anya responded. A moment later they heard the ding of the elevator, which Bruce, Agent Coulson, and Stark then quickly entered.

"He will be fine," Bruce tried to reassure the agent once they were in the elevator. His friend had to be fine.

"I'm just glad Rogers and the others moved ahead of us to clear the building," Agent Coulson noted.

Bruce nodded, "Gun fired doesn't provide the best atmosphere for recovery." Agent Coulson gave a small smile, almost a smirk, in response.

*****AF*****

For a few seconds after Dr. Banner and her brothers left the room, Anya continued lying on the ground unable to move. Gathering her strength, she tried to lift herself up but was unable to. Feeling embarrassed, but not wanting to lay there, Anya called to the only person in the room willing to help. "Thor," she called his name gently. The man, or rather god in question walked over and squatted besides her. She tried not to cringe at his closeness. It wasn't him.

"Yes, Lady Anya."

"It's just Anya and would you please help me up. I can't seem to move." He nodded solemnly before setting down his hammer and picking her up bridal style. He seemed hesitant on what to do from that point. "Could you please just put me on the couch?" she motioned with her head to the area behind him. A dozen guards were spewed across the ground, blood speckled everywhere, but the couch was amazingly unaffected. _How convenient. _

"Of course," he replied, doing as she asked.

"We ought to do something about the guards," Anya thought aloud, looking at the men, "although first we should secure Loki and the scepter."

"The first two are easily done," he assured her with a heart melting smile. _Damn he is gorgeous_, Anya understood at that moment why Jane Foster fell for him – polite, beautiful and more importantly a good heart, a wonderful rare combination. After setting her gently on the coach, he walked over towards Loki before calling his hammer to him. Thor then set his hammer on Loki's chest.

After he moved towards the door, picked up the scepter and walked back to her. Holding it out to her, he offered the scepter, "Here, if anyone can be trusted to guard the scepter it would be you."

Anya nodded and took it from him. Unable to resist she teased him, "because of my character or present state?"

Thor smiled in return before answering, "Both."

"Will that hold him?" Anya asked nodding toward the hammer.

"Yes, only those who are worthy can lift it." His answer seemed cryptic and slightly confusing, but Anya was too tired to think about it. Part of her wondered how Loki was breathing at the moment. No it matter though.

Looking over at the guards Anya saw a few had begun to stir. "Jarvis, do we have any rope nearby that we can use to secure the prisoners with?" Anya asked out loud.

"No, Ms. Marvel, but there is a large roll of duct tape in the top left kitchen cabinet."

"Excellent, thank you Jarvis."

"With pleasure Ms. Marvel."

"Thor, would you please get the duct tape and use it to tie up everyone?"

"I am happy to assist, but what is this duct tape you speak of?"

Anya smiled at his question, "A magical and multipurpose material," Anya responded.


	45. Chapter 44: Recovery

**A/N: hello everyone. As always, I only own my plot and ocs (same for last ch). Thank you everyone who has been reading, following and had favorite. **

**christine: thank you! I'm glad you got the reference and that means alot to me! Fairyfinder: thank you, that was one of my favorite lines. i hope you enjoy**

**Recap:So our story is wrapping up. Loki was just defeated, Tony was injured, and we have no idea about Cap or Loki's other minions.**

* * *

**Chapter 44: Recovery**

*** 1 am in Helicarier – Fury F***

Nick was done with all this bullshit. He never took vacations, but after this mess died down he would. The stupid ass council had been pressuring him for the past week to give up the location of the Avengers. As if he would. Those idiotic people tried to blow up Manhattan. There was no way in hell he would hand over his team to them and Loki.

He and his select team had been monitoring the situation carefully. After Loki announced his engagement to Ms. Marvel, Nick knew something would happen soon. It worked out well that Agent Koenig had planted a listening device in the van he had given Coulson.

The moment he heard the Avengers were on the move, Nick had hacked into Stark's Tower's surveillance and watched as the situation unfolded; he was ready to assist the moment Loki was down. Of course he wasn't only monitoring them. In front of him were two screens, one of Stark Tower and the other had the surveillance of key governmental and military officials he knew to be under Loki's mind control. Nick tensed as Barton placed Stark and Banner's device on the scepter. He quickly turned his attention to the other screen.

The moment Barton yelled that the device was hot, every person Nick was monitoring from mind control gave a loud cry of pain, holding onto their heads. Those who were asleep woke up, and those who were awake stopped whatever they were doing. The pain only seemed to last for a few seconds, but upon zooming into each of their faces Nick could see their eye colors returned to normal. All of them looked disoriented and upset to say the least. He wondered to what extend they all remembered their actions.

"Hill, get me the President on the line," he called out to his trusted right hand agent who was monitoring the situation with him.

"Yes, sir" she told him before walking over to a phone and beginning to dial a number. A few moments later she informed him, "Sir, I have the president. Also, the council is on the other line." Nick had to resist rolling his eye. He would deal with them later. President first.

*****A few minutes later in the tower - AF*****

"Excellent work Thor," Anya praised the blonde once all the guards were secured; their hands were taped behind their back, and their legs were taped together with duct tape. "Sorry, I couldn't be of assistance."

"Not at all La – Anya." Anya smiled at his self-correction of her name. Holding up the remaining roll of duct tape, Thor examined the material before speaking, "This is a wonderful material. Do you think I could take some back for our scientists on Asgard to study?"

"Of course, have the rest of the roll. I'm sure Tony won't mind." Thor gave her huge smile in gratitude. Setting down the tape on the kitchen island he walked back over towards her.

"Now, shall we join Banner and the others? Your injuries need attending to."

"What about Loki?"

Thor spared a glance at his brother who was glaring at them both, probably because he could only glare; Thor had put a piece of duct tape over his mouth - Anya's idea – and his hammer was still sitting on Loki's chest. "He will not be moving any time soon," Thor spoke with certainty. "Besides, I will only take you there before returning shortly."

Anya considered for a moment before nodding to Thor, "Then yes please." The man simply smiled before lifting her up and cradling her in his giant arms. Anya realized she probably could have walked at this point, but hey she was injured and he was willing. _Besides_, she thought to herself, _who doesn't want to be carried like a princess by a god?_

"Jarvis, the elevator please." Anya called out to the AI for assistance since Thor had his hands full with her and she was carrying the scepter. She had to take the evil thing with her; there was no way she was going to leave it in the same room as that man. "Thor, I have to say, you are very good at this. Do you carry people around often?" Anya asked teasingly as they stepped into the elevator.

Thor gave a loud laugh in response. "No, but it does happen on occasion. In fact, there was this one time – " and so Thor begin his story of how Eric Selvig got shit faced drunk, singing and dancing in the street with Thor before falling over and Thor had to carry him home to Jane. It was humorous tale, but Anya couldn't help but think that his eyes were saddened. Then she remembered that Dr. Selvig had been killed and he had been apart from Jane for a while.

"You should go see her," Anya told Thor after he finished his story.

"How can I? I cannot abandon you, my team, or leave my brother."

"Mmm, there has to be away," Anya reassured him, specifically thinking about how Tony had to have a private plane he could spare. Her thought and their conversation was interrupted by arriving at the hospital area.

The area was designed as a mix between a lab and a hospital ward. Immediately after the elevator, there was a small reception desk sitting a few feet away and to the right stood a waiting area. Directly behind the waiting area, separated by a wall with a large glass window, was a lab/hospital surgery room. There was also a short hallway, down which were a few private rooms and probably an office or two. Thor and Anya could see Dr. Banner, still only wearing tattered pants, standing over a table on which Tony rested. Phil was standing on his other side. To Anya's relief Tony seemed to be awake.

Thor carried Anya into the room, startling everyone in it. "Thor, Anya" Phil greeted in surprise.

"How is he?" Thor asked before Anya could.

"I'm fine," Tony said in a drugged like voice. Everyone smiled at the clearly drugged man.

"Doctor Banner?" Anya wanted his opinion.

"He will be fine. I pulled out the bullet and stitched up the wound. He passed out from blood loss, but I have him on an IV for that."

Anya felt relieved. "What are you both doing down here? What about Loki?" Phil inquired not unkindly.

"Anya needs medical attention. As for Loki, he will not be able to move."

Phil looked ready to argue with Thor, so she quickly stepped in. "Phil, Loki is secure. Thor is going back up after setting me down. He had to carry me because I needed help."

The dotting brother he was, the moment Anya admitted to needing help Phil relented.

"You can set her down here Thor," Dr. Banner motioned to the table a few feet across the room, parallel to Tony and the large window.

"Thank you again Thor," she told him with a smile as he set her down on the table so that she was sitting up with her legs hanging over the edge. She immediately set the scepter down behind her not wanting to hold onto it for longer than necessary. Thor nodded to her and the others before heading back towards the elevator. "Jarvis, see he gets back to the top of the tower," Anya spoke the moment he walked out of the room.

"Yes, Ms." Jarvis answered

"Thank you."

"Since when have you and Jarvis become such good friends?" Tony asked extremely out of it. Anya rolled her eyes at him.

Dr. Banner turned his attention from Tony to Anya after she was settled on the table. There was an awkward pause in the room before Dr. Banner state, rather nervously, "Anya, I need you to remove your dress for me to see your injuries." Anya wanted to laugh at how nervous the man seemed and at the glare both Tony and Phil were giving him.

"Just cut it off doctor. The gown is ruined anyway." The doctor nodded and turned to a small table, which Anya didn't even notice before, to get a pair of scissors. Glancing over, she saw Phil look very uncomfortable. "Phil, will you please get me a change of clothes from my suitcase? I was in the spare room on the top floor."

Phil nodded, looking relieved, "Is there anything in particular?"

"A tank top and shorts would be great. Thank you. OH and my pain pills please. Loki's doctor gave them to me. They should be on the bathroom counter" Phil nodded and left with a smile.

The moment Phil was gone Dr. Banner moved towards her with the scissors. What happened next threw Anya off. Despite the pain, she had been relatively relaxed sitting on the hospital table, well as she could be for her condition. Then the moment she saw Dr. Banner coming towards her with the scissors she felt… afraid…terrified. Her body went stiff and she could only focus on the scissors, like she had tunnel vision. For a second she thought see saw him holding a knife rather than scissors. Her mouth went dry and her heart started beating harder. She didn't snap out of it until Dr. Banner stopped moving. The whole exchange had only been a second or so long, but it felt much longer.

Anya closed her eyes. _It's just Doctor Banner_, she told herself. _It's only a pair of scissors_. After a moment, when she was able to get her breathing under control, she opened her eyes.

Dr. Banner had not moved. His eyes shone with both compassion and pity, "Anya – "

"I'm sorry Dr. Banner… "

"Please, call me Bruce." Anya nodded feeling embarrassed by her reaction. "Anya…I'm not going to hurt you." He told her with sincerity, looking in her eyes.

With a dry mouth she responded, "…I know that…really I do… but…"

"..but you have been through a lot these past few days and your reaction is normal." Dr. Banner – no Bruce – tried to re-assure her. "Jarvis," Bruce called out, "could you ask Agent Romanoff to join us if she is not busy."

"Yes, sir." Jarvis answered. A moment later he responded, "She is on her way, sir."

"Thank you Jarvis."

Anya let out a breath she didn't know she was holding and smiled at Bruce after he set the scissors back down. "Thank you Bruce." The scientist just nodded. There was an awkward moment of silence before Anya remembered her question for Tony.

"Tony?"

"Yes?" he loopy replied.

"Can you send a plane to go pick up Jane Foster? Thor should get to see her before he has to leave Earth."

"Sure, w-whatever you want. Foster for Thor. Jarvis, you take care of that buddy."

"Yes, Sir. What is Ms. Foster's current location?"

"Jarvis, ask Phil for that." Anya answered the AI "Also see if he can have someone from Shield go along to explain the situation and for protection."

"Right away Ms."

"Thank you Jarvis, and thank you Tony." Tony gave a loopy smile before falling asleep.

"What did you give him?" Anya asked Bruce.

"A bit too much of morphine, although it was less for the pain and more to make him sit still." At that Anya had to laugh, although, she ended up wincing in pain from it.

After a few moments of awkward silence Natasha showed up.

"Doctor, Anya." She nodded to each of them in greeting.

"Agent Romanoff – "

"- You can call me Natasha, Doctor."

"Bruce"

"Now that we are all one the first name basis, what can I help with?"

"I could use a patch up job Nat," Anya answered for Bruce. Natasha nodded before setting forward. "Scissors are over there. You will have to cut my nightgown off. It's ruined anyway. By the way, I like the blond hair." At that Natasha gave a light laugh before picking up the scissors. Both women at that point stared at Bruce who had been just awkwardly standing there.

"I'll go…and find some clothes I guess."

"Just steal some from Tony's room upstairs, and thank you Bruce," Anya told him as he left.

Natasha waited until he was gone before starting. Within a few moments the damaged dress was off, although Anya was still sitting on top of it, and Natasha was taking care of her wounds. "So this is a role reversal," Anya stated the obvious.

"In the job description?" Natasha caught on in a teasing tone.

"God, I hope not." Anya said with a smirk. "So…how's your week been?"

"Really, you just asked me that."

"Yeah...sorry my brain is fried and small talk came out."

Natasha let out a soft chuckle. "I've had worse weeks. Let's see…I went on a road trip, dealt with a bunch of short tempered idiots, fought some armed guards, and am now patching up an injured friend."

"Sounds exhausting."

"You bet. How about you?"

"Well I was forced to quit my job and was made into a slave, as you know. I was promoted from a slave to assistant. Tortured. Proposed to by the demigod who had ordered my torture. Became a victim of domestic violence. Humiliated and tortured some more. Watched my friends be shot at. And introduced a different demigod to duct tape so that he could incapacitate my fiancé and his men."

"Sounds exhausting," Natasha echoed Anya's earlier words, causing her to laugh which resulted in more pain in her ribs.

"Don't make me laugh, it hurts," she complained to her friend. After a few moments of silence she added, "Nat, I'm glad you are here. Thanks." Natasha gave her a small smile before continuing to clean and care for her injuries.

"May I come in?" Bruce called out. Anya looked down to see her chest was entirely covered in bandages. Sure she was sitting there in her underwear, but it was all covered. Besides the man was a doctor.

"Sure doc," Natasha called out after receiving a nod from Anya.

Bruce came in, now dressed in black sweatpants and a Black Sabbath shirt, holding a bundle of clothing and a small pill bottle. "Agent Coulson dropped these clothes and meds off for you." He explained seeing Anya's confused look pointed at the bundle he was carrying. "How are the injuries?"

"Most just needed re- bandaging. The shoulder's stitches have re-opened though and I think her thigh wound needs stiches as well." Natasha answered.

"Anya, may I?" Bruce asked moving closer.

Suppressing the slight panic she began to feel as he moved closer with a needle, she nodded. Anya couldn't help but feel grateful that Natasha stayed next to her as Bruce stitched her up. _A good friend and a working local anesthetic, what more could a girl need_ she thought to herself.

"Ms. Marvel," Jarvis' voice projected over the speakers a few minutes later, "Agent Coulson requests that you, Mr. Stark, Doctor Banner and Agent Romanoff join him and the rest of the team on the 25th floor when you are finished."

Seeing that Bruce had just finished stitching up her wounds she replied, "We will be up shortly Jarvis. Thank you."

Putting the supplies away, after placing the last bandage on her, Bruce woke Tony up, removed his drip, and dragged him off to the elevator after telling the girls he would meet them up there. With Natasha's help, Anya was able to quickly slip on the pair of cotton black shorts and her lacy green tank top. Anya inwardly cringed at seeing the green color. _Get over it_, she told herself, _it was your favorite color before Loki; don't let that bastard make you change your mind_. With a few hesitant steps, Anya found she could walk with Natasha's support. She almost forgot the scepter, but she grabbed it at the last minute.

The sight on the 25th floor was a welcomed one. She could smell and see a few boxes of pizza on top of the kitchen island and her friends surrounding it. What she did not appreciate was the fact they went dead silent upon seeing her and Romanoff.

"What? You've never seen an injured woman carrying a deadly scepter walking with the assistance of an assassin before?"

***** A while earlier – SF *****

For the first time in a while Steve was actually ready to go to sleep. Normally he slept only a few hours a day, and those few hours were done because he felt like it was the proper thing to do rather than needing it. The serum may have healed his body of the bruises he gained fighting the remaining guards, but he was still exhausted. Of course, there were a fair number of guards.

In the end it took him, Agent Romanoff, and Agent Barton to finish off everyone in the building. Steve had defeated the few guards outside the main room before heading straight for security, using the stairway. Once there he scouted out the remaining guards. That was when Romanoff and Barton joined him.

"Is that everyone?" Steve asked Barton, having returned to the security office after finding a few guards holed up in an office on the bottom floor. Barton was sitting in a black rolling chair, his bow and feet both propped up on the desk.

"Yeah, you can set the shield down Cap," Barton told him. Taking the man at his word, Steve sat in a spare office chair and placed his shield beside him. Looking around he realized Agent Romanoff was gone.

"Where is – "

" – called to play nurse." _Because that clarified everything_, Steve thought sarcastically. He stared at the man, hoping this expression would communicate his thoughts. Evidently it did.

"Banner asked for her to go down to Medical. She's taking care of Anya."

"Why? Banner is a doctor. Isn't he?"

Barton shrugged, "Technically he is, but he's a doctor of science not medicine."

"Wasn't he – "

" – treating patients in Calcutta? Yeah. The man may have only one degree, but he is a genius and probably studied enough of biology and medicine to help."

"Huh…that works…"

"Well, it's actually illegal to practice without a license, but what idiot is going to turn the man in? Who is going to try and arrest him?"

"Good point."

"Although, with Anya I think it's more his gender than qualifications." Steve gave a solemn nod. That made since to him. She had been through a lot. It probably didn't help that Banner is a stranger as well. Trying not to focus on the matter he turned to other issues at hand.

"Did you contact SHIELD?"

Barton nodded before adding, "I spoke with Agent Hill. Fury is debriefing the President and some other higher ups. They are sending over agents to take all the prisoners away."

"So it's over."

"Besides the lunatic demigod still upstairs, the scepter of death and Tesseract in the building, and Loki's followers still around, yes it's done."

Steve just shook his head with a small smile on his face at the archer's reply. Everyone clearly needed to rest. A beep went off in the room. Moving quickly, Barton put his feet down and typed a few things into the computer in front of him. A moment later a picture of the lobby was on the main computer screen. There was a pizza boy there with several pizzas in hand.

Steve was going to ask who would order pizza, but then it came to him - Stark. "I'll go get the pizzas," Baron told him, jumping to his feet.

"I will go tell the others." A little while later Steve was upstairs, with Agent Coulson, Thor and Barton, waiting for the others to arrive. Barton was suggesting starting to eat when the elevators opened to reveal a rather drugged Stark being helped by Banner.

"Oh goodie the food arrived," Stark announced

"What happened to you?" Rogers asked. He wasn't aware Stark was even injured.

"He was shot in the shoulder, and then I gave him a little too much morphine," Banner explained as he helped Stark sit on one of the island chairs.

"Ahh, I'm fine. Nothing a little food and sleep can't handle."

"Where are – " Steve started to ask.

" – on their way up. And before you ask, yes she is in rough shape. She needed stitches in her shoulder and thigh. Also most of her wounds re-opened and needed attention."

"How long will it take for her to heal?" Agent Coulson questioned.

"Physically - a month or so, although she will probably need physical therapy for her shoulder. Mentally and emotionally…that all depends."

"She has been through a lot." Steve added for some unknown reason.

"She's been through hell," Bruce looked like he was going to say something else when the elevator doors opened and Romanoff, helping Anya, entered into the room.

Anya certainly was a sight to behold. Even wearing a simple tank top and shorts, she looked beautiful to Steve. What concerned him was the massive amount of bandages showing through the top of her shirt and on her left thigh. Her face and arms had numerous bruises, and overall she looked…exhausted. What made the image odd, however, was the fact she was carrying Loki's scepter.

Realizing everyone was staring Anya paused and looked back at them before saying, "What? Yo've never seen an injured woman carrying a deadly scepter walking with the assistance of an assassin before?" It was such an Anya thing to say. Tony started chuckling at her line, while everyone else smiled. "Who ordered the pizza?" Anya questioned while moving slowly towards the table.

"That would be me," Tony responded.

"Mr. Stark instructed me to order pizza shortly after Dr. Banner gave him the morphine Ms." Jarvis answered. Anya nodded in understanding as Natasha helped her sit on a bar stool. She set the scepter in front of her before taking the plate with a slice of cheese pizza on it that Steve offered her.

"Good call bro," was her response to Tony, causing Steve to give a tired smile. Then with that everyone started to eat. Pizza had never tasted so good.

Of course the evening was allowed to end there. _Damn SHIELD_, Anya thought bitterly.

A/N: Enjoy, review, favorite, follow, and share please


	46. Chapter 45:Arrested

**A/N: First off i own only my plot and OC. So this is a shorter chapter but you are getting it sooner, so it all weighs even right? Anyway THANK you everyone who has been supporting me. Big thanks to Fairyfinder for the review - here's the chapter. So enjoy you all. **

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**Chapter 45:Arrested**

***** 2am in Stark Tower – AF****

They were in the middle of setting when Jarvis announced SHIELD's arrival. At that point Anya was just done with it all. She was almost past the point of caring because her exhaustion was so great, and it wasn't just physical. Every time someone would move suddenly she cringed a bit; the night and the past few days kept replaying in her head as she tried to chew her food.

She kept glancing over at Loki, making sure he was still contained. She tried to do it subtlety and hid it, but she doubted she fooled anyone. At least, she reasoned to herself, her stomach was being filled and her family was around her. She was about to ask Natasha for help going to bed when Fury stormed in. _The man I never wanted to see again_, Anya though to herself as she turned in her chair to face him; her back had been facing the door.

"Come to join the party patchy?" Tony tiredly joked. The food and time had helped him come down from his drug high, but clearly not enough. Then again he would probably say something like that on a normal day. Anya resisted rolling her eyes.

Fury glared, "No, I have work to do, unlike others."

"What work? We did it for you." Tony muttered angrily.

"Sir, is the president okay?" Rogers asked. _Of course Mr. Patriot would ask that_, Anya thought with a mental eye roll.

"He is no longer under Loki's control, so yes he will be okay. Our countries leaders are back to normal and there will be a news conference tomorrow. That being said, a lot still needs to be explained."

With that line Fury turned to look directly at Anya causing her to have a "oh shit" feeling of dread spread within her. "Ms. Marvel, I need you to come with us."_ And the feeling of foreboding was correc_t she thought to herself.

The moment, however, Fury said that he wanted to bring her in every one of the Avengers were on their feet. Natasha, who had been sitting next to her blocked her from Fury's view. Anya was shocked. Not at Fury's statement, but at the fact everyone would move to defend her so quickly. She knew Nat and Barton cared, well Nat cared, Barton probably felt a sense of obligation more than anything, but she didn't think they would stand before her and their boss. From her understanding SHIELD was their lives.

"Director," Phil spoke in a calm voice, "You are not taking my sister anywhere."

"Agent Coulson, your sister has been fraternizing with the enemy – " Anya giggled inwardly at his wording. " – Hell she publically announced her engagement just last night on national TV. She will be coming with us."

"She is neither a threat to SHIELD nor a traitor. The only place she is going is to bed." Coulson responded with venom.

"Director, she only agreed to marry him to protect us. We saw the deal they made - ," Natasha tried to explain.

" – w-what do you mean you saw," Anya interrupted. The Avengers stiffened and turned to look at her.

"Ah shit," Tony muttered.

No one said a word.

Anger and hurt began to fill her, "Someone answer me damn it!"

Then the last person she expected to answer did. "We used Jarvis to monitor you," Barton began explaining in an emotionless tone. He continued, "Stark received verbal updates every day and when something major occurred. After Jarvis announced you were engaged to Loki, we watched the surveillance footage from the time you sent us the message through Jarvis to the time after the press conference."

Anya sat silently with a blank expression listening to Barton's explanation. The Avengers watched her nervously. "Anya…we did it because we cared. We had to know why…" Phil added on, his tone willed with concern and seemed to beg her understanding.

Feeling something wet on her face Anya raised her hand to wipe it off. It was tear. She was crying and her hands were shaking. Steve, who was now by her side reached out his hand as if to comfort her. She cringed away from his touch. "You did the one thing I asked you not to," her voice was quiet but clear.

"Anya –" Tony started

" – the one thing…I… why couldn't you just trust me?" her words pierced them all. No one said anything. With some struggle and a good degree of pain, Anya lowered herself off the high stool. Wisely, in Anya's opinion, Natasha stepped aside when it was clear Anya wanted though. Limping slowly she made her way towards Fury, stopping a few feet from him. She ignored the words of protest behind her, focusing only one the person in front of her.

Standing straight, tears no longer falling, she turned herself over. "I did what I had to, and I will face the consequences of my actions," she told the Director. He solemnly nodded at her words and she swore she saw a glimmer of respect in his eye.

"Hands," he was his response. Realizing they wanted to cuff her she did as he said and held her hands out in front of her. An agent who was part on Fury's entourage handed him a pair of cuffs which he put on her. The Director then ordered the same woman to collect Loki before taking her out of the room.

_At least they put him in a different SUV_, Anya gruffly thought as they drown away. Sometime between the ride from the Tower and to wherever she was being taken Anya fell asleep. Well, passed out would be a better word.

***** ATST – SF*****

_She had cringed away from him;_ that was all Steve could think about for the next few minutes after Anya left. He knew she was upset and felt betrayed, but it hurt him to have her reject him… to have her willingly leave…as if she didn't want to be there anymore.

_ No,_ he resolved, _I'm not going to let it end like that_. He would sleep, giving Anya time to cool down, and then go get her from Fury. One thing was for sure, he wasn't going to let her take all the blame. Everyone was silent, contemplative, after she left. "I'm going to base in 0500 if anyone wants to join."

"Why?" Barton asked

"I won't let her carry the blame for this," he tersely replied.

"No, I meant why aren't we going after them right now?" Barton clarified.

"Because Anya will refuse to come with us," Coulson answered for Steve, who nodded in confirmation of his reasoning.

"I'll go," Natasha calmly announced.

After her statement everyone on the team nodded in agreement before Stark announced, "I'll drive."

"Stark, you're medicated. I'll drive," Natasha countered. Before he could protest she walked out.

"Nat where are you going?" Barton asked.

"To get some rest," she replied not pausing in her stride. It seemed everyone agreed with that idea and slowly walked away, most likely Steve reasoned, to find places to rest in.

***** Few hours later – 5:30am at SHIELD Faculty upstate NY - AF *****

"NO!" Anya awoke screaming; her body was covered in sweat, and the sensations of pain and disorientation were overwhelming her.

"Ms. Marvel, you're safe here," a woman standing beside her tried to reassure her. Unfortunately she failed as Anya had never seen the woman before in her life. With the dream still clinging to her she glanced wildly around, trying to find stability.

"W-Where am I?"

"You are in a SHIELD hospital facility," the woman answered. Anya accepted this answered as it would explain why the woman was wearing scrubs. It would also explain the white walls and medical equipment.

"How – " before she could finish the question the nurse cut her off.

"You fell asleep during transportation. When they couldn't wake you, you were brought here to treat your injuries. You have been asleep a few hours." Looking down at herself Anya realized she was in new clothes, a pair of green scrubs and a grey shirt that had a large eagle on it.

"My clothes?"

"They are in a bag by the door. We had to remove them to treat you, and they have blood on them."

By this point Anya's breathing was back to normal. Slowly sitting up in the bed, she leaned her head against the wall. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now I have to let the others know you are awake. Stay here."

"Could you bring me some water please?"

"Of course."

Staring blankly at the metal door after the nurse left Anya realized it could be a lot worse._ At least I'm not in prison… yet..._

*****STSP – FF*****

The moment Nick received the message that Anya Marvel was awake he went to see her. He had to tread lightly and fast. Nick didn't doubt for a moment that the Avengers would be there soon, demanding the girl back. He was surprised he was able to get her in the first place. He also knew that a few words from her and the whole team would be in mutiny against him – against SHIELD – and he could not let that happen. First things first, he needed to know everything that had happened and he need to hear her say it. She had to be debriefed.

Walking into the hospital room, he found her conscious and sitting up in the bed holding a glass of water. She was in rough shape. "Ms. Marvel," Nick greeted her as he walked in. Looking at the nurse he dismissed her with the nod of his head.

"Director Fury," Ms. Marvel's tone was cold and brisk.

"Ms. Marvel, I understand you have been through quite a bit the past few days – " He began but was cut off, which he did not appreciate.

" – Director, let us skip the pleasantries and just be honest. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I am too tired for any bullshit. Tell me what you want to know."

He fought off a smirk "Fine, I want you to tell me everything that has happened since the battle of New York City till this point."

Anya sighed, "Fine, but you may want to sit down. It will take a while." With the nod of his head, Nick took the metal chair from the corner and sat it next to her bed. Once he was seated she began, pausing only intermittently to drink the water in her hand.

As Nick listened he begrudgingly admitted his respect for this woman grew. When he first met her Nick assumed she would just be like Stark - a pain in his ass. Listening to her, however, he found she is more like Coulson, and in truth an asset.

*****STSP- AF*****

It was both harder and easier than she thought to share what had happened to her. It helped that Fury was an attentive listener and never interrupted. It also helped he didn't demand more answers when she skipped over some parts such as her torture. She was just coming to the end when she heard noises outside the room get louder. She glanced over and saw Fury standing with his gun drawn. Nice to know he was willing to protect her, she thought to herself.

"You cannot go in there!" Someone yelled.

"Like hell we can't!" Another voice answered. All anxiety fell away upon hearing that voice; It was Tony. Her brother had come for her. A few seconds later the door was flung open.

"Anya" Tony called her name while opening the door, but upon seeing Fury with his gun pointed at him Tony yelled "– what the hell!"

Recognizing Tony, Fury lowered his weapon. "Mr. Stark –" he started.

" – save it Fury. We are taking Anya now," Tony told him, walking over to Anya. She was temporary confused over the "we" part, but that was clarified as everyone one else on the team filled into the room behind him.

"Mr. Stark I am not finished with her." At his words she saw everyone tense.

Not wanting a fight Anya spoke, "Director Fury, I told you everything. What more do you want of me? A public declaration?"

"Yes."

"So much for sarcasm," Anya muttered to herself. Ignoring the protests around her Anya agreed, "Fine. Let me guess, you want me to speak at the press conference this morning?"

"Yes. It's in two hours."

"Wonderful. Where?"

"In DC, we will fly you there."

"I need to shower and change."

"You can do both once there. The quinjet will leave in fifteen minutes," Fury told her before walking towards the exit. " Romanoff, escort her to the hanger," he ordered before going out the door.

"Yes sir"

"You're not going to do it, are you?" Bruce asked Nat.

"Yes," Nat coolly replied.

"How – "Steve started, but Anya interrupted.

" – She is doing it because I agreed to this." Anya told him.

"Anya you don't have to do this." Phil told her.

"No, I do, but not because Fury is asking me."

"Then why?" Tony asked.

Anya took a deep breath before calmly sharing the obvious with her irritating brother, "Whether you like it or not I am now a public figure. I became one the moment I started leading the recovery efforts after the battle. I am associated with Loki, more than just associated. Damn it, I'm engaged to the man; the man, who in the next few hours will be branded for what he is – a cruel dictator. People will come after me."

"People are going to come after you regardless of what you say," Bruce reasoned.

"That's true, but not only do the people deserve to hear the truth, I deserve to have a chance to share it before everyone can contort the facts." Everyone seemed to consider her words.

"Now then, Nat will you please help me up. We have a plane to catch." Natasha nodded, but was stopped by Steve who simply walked over to her bedside and picked Anya up bridal style.

"What the hell Steve?" she yelled in shock. "I can walk you know."

"Save your strength for the press conference," what his simple reply. It didn't surprise Anya one bit that everyone besides Thor decided to go with her. Thor vocalized he was going to stayed behind to guard his brother, which Anya was thankful for.

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A/N: anyone else think Steve is trying to communicate his feelings? Hope you enjoyed. We are getting to the end my friends, 2 more chapters left...well then the sequel. Yes there will a sequel. so make sure you follow this story because when i post the sequel i will note it on this one. So follow/favorite/review and share.


	47. Chapter 46: press conference

**A/N: I only own my plot and ocs. Thank you so much to everyone who has been following or favorited. Big thanks to my super review Fairyfinder(and thank you! I'm glad you're excited about the sequel). So Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 46: Press Conference**

*** **In DC in the White House – 7:15am- AF*****

Anya couldn't resist the impulse to fidget; she pulled on the hem of her skirt for the 20th time as she slowly paced around the small suite as she waited for the conference to start. The plane ride had been uneventful. She somehow managed to shower and get dressed without too much pain. The debriefing on the order of the press conference was boring but informative. She was going to speak first, after someone introduced her, and then the President would close the press conference with a statement. The idea was she would ease everyone into the reality of what happened. She was to explain to the public that she had been a captive and forced into engagement to a psychopath dictator in order to save the Avengers lives; _yeah this was going to go well_, Anya sarcastically thought to herself. The Avengers would be at the press conference standing on stage with her. Fury ordered them not to speak, but she doubted they would follow that; after all, _when did Tony ever follow orders?_

She cringed checking her appearance in the mirror. They, as in SHIELD's public appearance specialist, had decided to forgo makeup. The point was to make her story more believable by showing off her injuries; not that the specialist said it in those exact words, but the intent was clear. She was wearing a carefully chosen outfit: a silky blue sleeveless blouse paired with a knee length black skirt and ballet flats. It left her looking fragile and young. Of course the numerous bandages covering her along with the pained and weary look on her face only helped that image.

Anya stared at her appearance. She had no jewelry on save her slave band and engagement ring. Much to her anger, she could no more remove the ring than her slave band. There was some type of magic keeping it in place. They discovered that in transient. Tony wanted to turn the plane around so they could beat Loki senseless and force him to remove it. Anya, on the other hand, was weighing the importance of that finger verse her want to remove the ring, and how willing she was to cut of the finger if Loki refused to remove the ring. Surly her brother could build her an artificial robotic finger to replace it. She made a mental note to ask Tony about it later. Regardless there had been no time for either option.

A knock broke her concentration. The door opened to reveal the Avengers, who were all dressed in suits, except Nat who was wearing a dress suit and once again had her red hair back.

"Time to go," Steve called to her. Anya, who found herself with a rather dry throat, only nodded. Walking down the hallway to the press conference room, Anya couldn't help but wish she had seen the White House under different circumstances. The moment she and the Avengers appeared in the room lights started flashing. She stood to the side of the stage waiting for the ordinary looking suited man to introduce her.

After hearing her name she calmly walked up the few steps onto the stage to stand behind the podium. The Avengers, minus Thor and Phil, filed in on both sides of her. Ignoring the questions being shouted she held up a hand signal everyone to stop. To her surprise they did.

"I know many of you have questions. I hope to answer some of them in my statement." Anya took a deep breath before looking straight at the people in front of her. "The past few days have been chaotic, confusing, and terrifying for many. What I am about to tell you will cause more confusion and concern, but I ask you to listen patiently to my story. After I am done the President will speak." Pausing Anya saw how enraptured her audience was.

Taking a deep breath she began. "Eleven Days ago what many have referred to as The Battle of New York City occurred. Monsters came down from the sky and reeked decimation onto the city. You were informed the Avengers were responsible for this and that Loki of Asgard saved you. That was a lie." Reporters started shouting. Anya waited a few moments before they quieted down before continuing.

"The aliens that came out of the portal were called the Chitari. They had a partnership with Loki. They would be his army so he could take over Earth, and in return he was to give them alien technology that he was in possession of. Loki did not come to save Earth, he came to rule it by any means necessary. Besides having an army, Loki possessed the ability to use magic, specifically power of mind control. Some of you, unfortunately, may have experienced this personally. Most of this nation's leaders, including the President were under his power."

"Were you?" A reporter shouted out.

"No. I was approached by Loki after Helping Hands and other organizations began the clean-up and restoration process in New York City. He promised to allow the restoration process and fund it in exchange for his name being behind it and the promise of a favor from me."

"What type of favor?" A voice called out.

Anya ignored that question. "Loki called in that favor a few days later. I was ordered to become his slave. He told me if I refused he would not only destroy New York again, but kill everyone we assisted through the process. For this reason I agreed."

The room was silent.

"Over the next few days my main role was of a Public Administrator, organizing his operation. That was until he ordered me to find someone close to one of the Avengers for him to torture and use to find their location."

"Did you do it?" a random person cried out.

"No…I couldn't do that to someone... In return…in return Loki ordered his guards to torture me into submission."

"Is that where your injuries are from?"

Anya paused for a second, trying to gain control of her emotions before answering, "Most of them, yes."

"How are we supposed to know you didn't do them to yourself?"

Shaking in anger Anya raised her left arm so the burn spelling "property" was showcased to the crowd, "Would I do this to myself?" She was amazed she was able to keep her voice level and calm saying that. No reporter contested to that.

Anya lowered her arm. "During the tore-during the process, I reviled that I was close to one of the Avengers. Loki, in an attempt to harm them further, offered me a deal. If I agreed to become engaged to him, he would spare them. I agreed. Last night the Avengers broke into Stark Tower, which is where Loki resided. After as struggle, Loki was apprehended. Thanks to the technology created by Dr. Bruce Banner and Tony Stark, his mind control powers were disrupted. Loki will soon be transported back to Asguard, where he is already known as a criminal, to face justice."

There was a few seconds of silence as everyone seemed to consider her news. Then a fury occurred. Most of the room was on their feet shouting, clambering to have her questions heard. Taking a deep breath, Anya pointed to one reporter at random. The rest quieted to hear the question.

"Ms. Marvel, why would you agree to marry him if he ordered your torture?"

"I knew the Avengers were the only chance we had of stopping Loki."

"How would you know that? As far as everyone else knew they were criminals. Why did you trust them?"

"Since immediately after the battle I had been in communication with the Avengers. I knew they were innocent."

"Which one or ones?" "How is that possible?" Two other reporters called out at the same time.

Before Anya could answer Steve stepped forward, "Anya risked her life to help us. She acted as a liaison between all of us when we were separated after the battle. She also agreed to marry a monster to give us a chance at life. As far as the Avengers are concerned, she is one of us." Anya couldn't help but be warmed by his words.

"But how is that possible? Why would you do that for strangers?"

"Simple" Anya answered, "They are not strangers. The Avengers are my family. I discovered I was related to two of the Avengers before the battle, and friends with another two."

"Who?"

Tony stepped forward and gently put his arm around Anya's shoulders. "Anya Marvel is my half-sister. Her other half-brother, who is part of the Avengers but not on stage, is an Agent of SHIELD." To say the crowd went wild would be an understatement.

Steve and Natasha both moved forward to stand next to her. Steve started, "Anya was my friend before the battle; she went to the same gym as me and didn't know I was Captain America until after the battle."

Without missing a beat Natasha spoke, "I worked with Anya in the past. I consider her a friend."

Bruce stepped forward. "Anya's adopted family assisted me when I was on the run after the battle and before I could meet up with the other Avengers. I am proud to call her my friend.

Clint stepped forward. "Loki had me under the influence of his mind control. Anya is one of the main reasons I escaped. She is, likewise, my friend."

Anya knew there were tears in her eyes. She considered the Avengers her friends, but she didn't realize how much they really were until that moment. She quickly wiped away the tears and addressed the crowd.

"I know many of you will doubt me and what I did. That is fine. I did what I had to and will accept responsibility for my actions. What concerns me is that you know the truth. Loki was a dictator who used mind control, fear, and torture to control his subjects. The Avengers are the true heroes. Now the President will speak."

Stepping back, all the Avengers followed her off the stage and out into the hallway. There she eagerly sank into one of the little couches lining the walls. Tony sat on one side and Phil, who had been watching the exchange from the side of the room, sat on the other. The others stood against the wall waiting for her to regain her composure. She was waiting for her hands to stop shaking.

"Thank you," she told them, a little while later, with tears in her eyes meeting each other their glazes.

"For what?" Barton asked.

"For what you did in there…for having my back."

"Always," Phil gently told her to which the others nodded.

After a moment Tony broke the silence, "Why don't we all get shwarma? I've never had it and want to try."

Anya gave a light laugh. "Do you think the same store will sell milkshakes?"

"No, but we'll get you one." Phil told her.

"Don't spoil me too much. You don't want me to turn into a brat."

"I don't think that is possible." Steve told her smiling as was everyone else.

Anya suddenly felt a wave of peace. Things were crazy. She was probably going to hit by a shit storm after that broadcast, but for this moment she realized it was going to be okay. She had her friends around her…no… she had her family.

"Well lets blow this popsicle stand," she told them standing up.

Tony groaned, "Really? How dorky can you be?"

* * *

A/N: So a bit corny but hopefully you all enjoyed it. One more chapter left. Review, share, favorite, and follow.


	48. Chapter 47: Goodbye

**A/N: I own only my plot and OCs. Wow, I can't believe we are here. Its been a long road people. Thank you for all your support, especially you Fairyfinder for always reviewing and being encouraging. Well read and enjoy this last chapter everyone. Also there is a good amount of foreshadowing for the sequel in this chapter. Oh by the way there is a flashback in this chapter. i placed it between two dividing lines because the stupid formating wouldn't let me indent. **

* * *

**Chapter 47: Goodbye**

***** Two days after the press conference, early afternoon, in central park – AF*****

_Finally, it will soon be over;_ that was Anya's thought watching Bruce place the tesseract in the cylinder-like chamber that would act as a teleportation taking Loki and Thor back to Asgard. Astonishingly, it had only taken Tony and Bruce a day to build it; Thor had memorized plans for the device given to him by Asgard's scientists.

Anya decided she would miss Thor, which surprised her since she didn't know the man. Of course the human who would miss Thor the most would be Dr. Jane Foster; Tony's plane had brought her to the Tower a day ago. She and Thor spent most of their time together or with the team. Anya appreciated Jane's brilliance, and Darcy, who had come with Jane, became a fast friend. The woman made her laugh. Thankfully both accepted Tony's offer to live at the Tower. Once it was finished being rebuilt of course. For now anyone who needed a place was offered one at Stark's Malibu house. He, Anya and Pepper were going to finalize the plans for the Tower before going back to Malibu for a while.

Seeing everything ready to go, Anya joined the others – Nat, Barton, Bruce, Tony, Steve, Jane and Darcy – standing in a circle around Thor and Loki. Thor nodded to each of them respectfully. They had said goodbye earlier. Loki simply stared at Anya. His eyes held the promise of what he told her last night:

* * *

A room the size of a small closet, made of steel walls and flooring. That is where Loki was being held until his return to Asgard. SHIELD had him in their underground facility upstate. It was in fact the same facility she "visited" with Phil before she knew he was her brother. Anya found herself at there, but this time, she was wearing shoes and was not under arrest.

She was there to talk with Loki. It had been her only request since the incident. All the Avengers, of course, argued with her, but Fury granted it. Phil, Tony, and Steve were her guards, waiting outside Loki's cell in case of anything. Anya imagined Tony would hack into the security cameras and watch their exchange on his phone. The other Avengers were watching in a room nearby.

Taking a deep breath Anya entered the small, miserable cold room. The front half of the room was empty save a metal chair sitting in the middle of its space. The second half held the man responsible for her nightmares. There was a mattress on the floor, on which he sat. Besides that there was nothing. A high tech electrolyzed shield wall separated him from her. The SHIELD techs – FitzSimmons- assured her it was safe. The moment she entered the room his eyes were on her. The moment she entered the room she doubted their word.

Loki stood and approached the wall as she did, both stopping a few feet short. Anya considered how to begin. "Have you come to gloat?" Loki sneered, hatred for her clearly on his face.

"No," she answered softly, a bit shocked as it never crossed her mind to do such a thing. His face fell into into a completive stare for a moment before asking, "Then do explain your purpose."

She paused for a second, "I came to ask a favor of sort."

With that he laughed, "Oh, do tell, although I question your sanity. Why would I grant a traitor such as you a favor?"

Anya knew he was trying to get a rise out of her, but in all honesty her anger at him was gone at this moment. She was too exhausted. If someone forced her to pick an emotion, she would say she pitied Loki more than anything. "Technically, I never broke my word. You brought this upon yourself."

"Do explain," anger filled his voice.

"By mocking the Avengers, mocking me and then hurting me in front of them…well, it was bound to cause them to go into action. Not that it matters. It's not as if you cared for me Loki of Asgard. I was simply a tool to you. "

"Do you think they view you any differently?"

"SHIELD? No. I know where I stand with them. The Avengers? Yes. They are my family." Loki scoffed at the word family.

"What do you want mortal. I grow weary of this exchange."

"I want you to take back your engagement ring and slave collar."

For a moment, Anya would have sworn a flash of surprise crossed Loki's face. It was, however, soon replaced with an air of boredom. "Oh and why would I do that?" He lightly questioned, but Anya could hear his irritation in his tone.

Anya slowly began her argument that she had crafted on the drive to visit him; she did not expect him to easily grant her request. "By calling me a traitor, you are announcing the end of our agreement; an agreement which was founded upon my servitude and later my engagement to you. As it is over there is no reasons for me to wear the symbols of them."

"What if they are not over?"

"You are returning to Asgard tomorrow. It is over."

"I think not."

Anya wanted to smack him. Careful to hide her emotions, she tried another approach. "Loki, the only girl who should wear your engagement ring is the one you are going to marry. You are going to live for thousands of years, yes? Who knows what will happen in that time. Take the ring back and give it to someone you meet in that time. As for the band, you…you already left a permanent mark on my arm. Why bother leave another?"

Loki laughed lightly after she finished her reasoning; at the sound of which Anya knew she lost. It was a long shot anyway. She knew that coming in.

Once he finished laughing he began to mock her with a gleam in his eyes. "I knew you could be foolish, but this is a bit much. You think I am done with you? You think that my leaving to Asgard will terminate our agreement? No, you are mine." Anya shuddered as that last word and the emphasis he placed on it.

Loki continued, "You will always be mine. I will come for you. Then when I do that time you spent with the guards will seem like a holiday to you. By the time I am through you will never consider taking a step from my side for fear of my punishment."

With a dry throat, fighting to maintain her cool, she replied, "You sure know how to romance a girl." Shaking her head she turned to leave. Before she opened the door she turned back towards him, "Goodbye, Loki of Asgard, I hope you seek and find redemption and peace in your future."

* * *

In a flash of light he – they were gone. Anya let ought a sigh she had been holding in. After that everyone began to head their separate ways. To Anya's surprise, Steve shook Tony's hand before giving her a hug; the hug seemed to last a few seconds longer than appropriate for friends, but Anya quickly pushed that thought from her mind. Steve was going to take a cross country trip with his motorcycle and meet them in Malibu. Nat, after giving Banner a duffle bag, Anya assumed it was his clothes his left on the helicarrier, waved goodbye to Anya. Barton nodded in her direction. They had SHIELD work, but promised to stop by sometime.

"Anya, let's go." Tony called out. Anya went to the car and was about to hop in only to find Bruce sitting in her seat.

"Tony did you think this out?" Anya scolded her brother looking at the two passenger car. She always thought two passenger cars were a waste, but then again the Acura NSX Roadster was a beautiful car.

"Just sit in Bruce's lap," Tony casually replied. Both she and Bruce turned bright red at his suggestion. Anya glared at him for a moment before shaking her head and walking away "See you at the tower," she shouted back to them.

"Anya, how are you getting there?" Tony yelled.

"Walk, subway or taxi, I haven't decided. See you at home."

Home, she said that word so effortlessly. It made her realize it was home. No way was she was sleeping in the same bedroom though. Maybe Tony could give her own floor. Hell he had enough money they could build ever Avenger their own floors. She bet he would if she asked. Of course, that meant she would be relying on her brother's good will which bothered her a bit. Then again she was going to need it since she didn't have a job anymore. She doubted even H2 would take her considering her debatable public status.

As Anya emerged from the park and started walking south on Central Park West, she considered the things she needed to get done. Find a job and help Tony and Pepper with the Tower were on her list. Although calling her adoptive parents and find a good therapist were the first two things. She would eventually need to figure out what Steve's hug meant, and what Tony was trying to pull with Bruce. Before that she should have Loki's damn engagement ring and arm band surgically removed her hand and arm. Feeling panic set in at everything Anya forced herself to take a deep breath. After clearing her mind for a few moments – only paying attention to cars and pedestrians as she walked – Anya began to felt better. She then decided to ignore it all for now. Right now all she would focus on was getting back to the Tower, getting in to PJs, and curling up with a book and cup of coffee. Hell, maybe she would even stop at bakery and grab something. After the past two weeks she deserved it, that was for damn sure.

A small smile pushed its way onto Anya's face as she recognized the music blaring from a passing car. It was Born to Rise by Redlight District. _My new theme song, _Anya decided as she began mentally singing the lyrics the she heard before but now mean so much more to her:

"We are the ones who were born to rise,

we are the ones with the fire inside.  
I go to war with the brothers I trust,  
And there ain't no stopping us, there ain't no stopping us.  
We are the ones who will bring the rain,  
We are the ones who will break the chain.  
I go to war with the brothers I trust,  
And there ain't no stopping us, there ain't no stopping us."

**A/N: And that is it. A total of 279 pgs in Word and almost 117,000 words. Wow. I am amazed by this. To think it all happened because of an idea I shared with my old co-worker who encouraged me to write a story out of it. Thanks Connor (no his real name isn't Connor but that is who I based Connor off of). There will there be a sequel, I'm thinking based on Thor 2. THANK YOU everyone who has followed/favorite/reviewed. You are all amazing. I hope you enjoyed my story.**

** Reviews will encourage me to write faster. Also make sure to follow this story because I will update on this story when I post the sequel. **


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